Four Finalists Vie for Miami-Dade Schools’ Teacher of the Year Award

Four Finalists Vie for Miami-Dade Schools' Teacher of the Year Award

Miami-Dade County Public Schools will host the 2026 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year ceremony to name the most outstanding teacher throughout the District on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center. The hotel is located at 711 N.W. 72nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33126.

The four finalists, the regions they represent, and their schools are as follows:
• North - Shannon Grant, Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Campus
• Central - Daniel Vinat, J.C. Bermudez Doral Senior High School
• South - Vivian Ventura, Southwood Middle School
• Postsecondary Career and Technical Education - Leroy Douglas, Robert Morgan Educational Center & Technical College

The District will also recognize the 2025 Rookie Teacher of the Year finalists and announce the winner at the event.

The finalists, the regions they represent, and their schools are as follows:
• North - Karen Lisley Leiva, North Beach Elementary School
• Central - Reem Okab, Eneida M. Hartner Elementary School
• South - Nikolas Venegas, Avocado Elementary
• Postsecondary Career and Technical Education - Evlyne Colas, Lindsey Hopkins Technical College

The signature sponsors for the event include the Educational Federal Credit Union (EdFed), United Way Miami, and Kendall Toyota, which will present the Teacher of the Year with the keys to a new car. The event is made possible through partnerships with United Teachers of Dade, the Dade Association of School Administrators, Univision and Fox-Mar Photography.

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