Disponible en: Español

Published On: September 11th, 2022By

La Promesa’s Cruz Receives Statewide Recognition as ESL/Bilingual Secondary Teacher of the Year

Disponible en: Español


Margarita Cruz is an English as a second language (ESL) teacher at La Promesa with a big passion for making a difference in the lives of her students from other countries. Cruz was recently named the 2022 ESL/Bilingual Secondary Teacher of the Year by the Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE).

Cruz began in Aldine ISD as a ninth-grade ESOL 1 teacher at La Promesa before serving in her current position as the ESL instructional specialist. The eight-year veteran is currently in her second year with Aldine ISD. Before joining Aldine, Cruz served in Tomball ISD for seven years, where she taught English and ESL and was an ESL specialist for five years.

“I am honored by the recognition,” said Cruz. “And I am honored to represent Aldine and Texas. The award is an opportunity to bring light to the voices of our emergent bilinguals (EB) students and share their stories and how they impact us as educators each and every day.”

Cruz knew she wanted to be a teacher since the second grade when she met her teacher, Mrs. Lagos. What she loved about Mrs. Lagos is that she not only taught the content, but she taught students about life and to dream big. Her parents’ story, who were unable to attend school past elementary, also influenced her, who were unable to attend school past elementary. However, they had big dreams for her and always made a point to remind her of the amazing opportunity. The 2014 Sam Houston State University alum stated that to receive an education is to have the doors of endless possibilities open for you.

The La Promesa teacher emphasized the importance of teaching ESL to support students in gaining English language proficiency. Preparing them academically and socially will plant the seed of strong self-efficacy for generations to come.

“Having supportive and effective teachers allows students the opportunity to gain confidence in themselves and know they are capable of overcoming any obstacle they may face. Lack of language proficiency can be a barrier to opportunities, but it doesn’t have to be. Students can flourish when provided with a safe learning environment,” added Cruz.

Becoming the Bilingual/ESL Secondary Teacher of the Year was a long process with several steps for Cruz. It included applying and being selected as a Bilingual/ESL Secondary Teacher for Aldine ISD and then for the Suburban Houston Association of Bilingual Educators (SHABE), an involved writing application, community service hours, an in-person interview, and letters of recommendation from colleagues, parents, and La Promesa’s principal, Ana Fernanda Flores-Bolívar.

“Margarita Cruz is a phenomenal teacher,” said La Promesa High School Principal Ana Flores-Bolívar. “She can reach every student in her class by building relationships and challenging students. She can scaffold language for newcomers to demonstrate knowledge using their background knowledge. Anybody that knows Ms. Cruz will be amazed by her knowledge of English language learner strategies and passion for all students to be successful.”

TABE, celebrating its 50th anniversary, will honor Cruz at the Teacher of the Year awards luncheon on Saturday, October 16. The luncheon occurs during TABE’s Conference, set to be in Houston this year.

Cruz will represent Aldine ISD at the national level at the National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE) 2022 Bilingual Teacher of the Year Award in February 2022.



La Promesa, a Choice School option (Escuela de Opción) for families and students, opened in fall 2021 to ninth-graders. The high school added a grade level in the 2022-2023 school year to serve ninth- and tenth-grade students. The school plans to expand into 12th grade in 2024-2025. La Promesa focuses exclusively on students new to this country; specifically, students who have lived three or fewer years in the U.S., are from non-English speaking countries or have limited English proficiency.

About the Author: Leticia Fehling

Director of Internal Communications