MacArthur High School Teacher Alexis Ayala Receives $30,000 Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award

Dr. Crystal Watson, school assistant superintendent of high schools; Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney, Tiffany Cuellar Needham, executive director of Teach For America Houston; MacArthur High School Principal Shauna Showers surprise teacher Alexis Ayala (l-r) with the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award on Aug. 13, 2026. Photos by Andy Adams / Aldine ISD Communications

For Alexis Ayala, excellence in teaching means showing up — every day, for every student.

That philosophy has guided Ayala throughout his four years at MacArthur High School, where he has taught biology end-of-course (EOC), AP Environmental Science, and physics. This year, he is teaching chemistry. He also contributes to the campus as a soccer coach.

On Aug. 11, representatives from the Kinder Foundation surprised Ayala with news that he had been selected as one of 12 recipients of the 2026 Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award. The honor includes a $30,000 award.

“I was in complete shock,” Ayala said. “It was so unexpected, and I just couldn’t believe that this was actually happening. I am so thankful for this award.”

The recognition, however, is about much more than a single moment of surprise.

According to Tiffany Cuellar Needham, executive director of Teach For America Houston, what distinguished Ayala was his deep care for students and commitment to ensuring they can access and master rigorous content.

“Alexis does not simply teach content; he makes learning visible, relevant and meaningful for students,” Needham said. “His genuine heart for students, paired with his commitment to instructional excellence and continuous growth, makes him an educator who truly embodies the spirit of the award.”

From Biology Teaching Assistant to Aldine Educator

Ayala did not initially set out to become a teacher.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in May 2021, he served as a teaching assistant for an introductory biology course. He quickly discovered that he enjoyed helping students learn.

“I didn’t expect to enjoy teaching this course as much as I did,” Ayala said. “This experience is ultimately what led me to apply for TFA and pursue a career in teaching.”

He was accepted into Teach For America’s Houston program in spring 2022 and said he was fortunate to obtain a teaching position with Aldine ISD.

“When I first stepped on campus back in August 2022, everyone welcomed me with open arms and helped me navigate my move from Delaware to Houston as best as possible,” Ayala said.

Now beginning his fifth year at MacArthur, Ayala said the campus faculty and staff have become a second family.

“The MacArthur High School faculty and staff have become a second family, and we all support one another,” he said.

Needham said Ayala has grown into a more confident, reflective, and intentional educator since beginning his TFA journey.

“He has deepened his content knowledge, strengthened his ability to differentiate instruction, and consistently pursued opportunities to improve his practice,” Needham said. “Most importantly, he has grown in his ability to translate that learning into stronger experiences and outcomes for his students.”

Creating a Classroom Where Students Are Known and Challenged

For Ayala, that growth begins with relationships.

“The most important thing is for students to feel seen, respected, and safe when they walk into my classroom,” he said. “I want students to be their authentic selves and to challenge themselves with complex scientific concepts.”

Alexis Ayala poses with Salvador Fernández, the MacArthur HS boys’ soccer coach.

Many of Ayala’s students are emergent bilinguals, and many face economic barriers. He said every student enters his classroom with unique circumstances, making it important to understand what each student needs to learn and grow.

“Every student comes to my classroom with unique circumstances, and I have to make sure that they are in a position that allows them to learn and grow as students,” he said.

Needham said Ayala has created a classroom where students are “both known and challenged.”

“He builds strong relationships while maintaining high expectations, and he intentionally uses hands-on experiences, visuals, differentiation and real-world connections to help students engage deeply with rigorous science content,” Needham said.

That combination of relationships and high expectations is central to Ayala’s definition of excellence in teaching.

“To me, ‘excellence in teaching’ means being consistent and showing up for your students every single day,” Ayala said. “A lot of students benefit greatly from a teacher who provides structure and meaningful routines to their lives.”

Students know what to expect when they enter his classroom, he said, and they also know he will maintain high academic expectations.

One of Ayala’s favorite moments comes when a difficult concept suddenly clicks for a student.

“Nothing compares to that moment where a lightbulb goes off in a student’s brain, and I get thanked for teaching something new,” Ayala said.

He especially sees that joy during hands-on activities and science labs.

“The joy and curiosity that stem from scientific labs always remind me why I chose education,” Ayala said.

Making Science Relevant to Students’ Futures

Ayala’s goal extends beyond helping students pass a science course. He wants them to understand how what they learn can connect to their lives and futures.

Needham said Ayala helps students see science “not just as a subject they take in school, but as a pathway to future opportunities.”

“His instruction gives students opportunities to apply their learning to real-world contexts and develop a stronger understanding of the many careers and possibilities within the field of science,” Needham said.

That work reflects Aldine ISD’s Accelerate strategic plan, which places students at the center of the district’s work and emphasizes instructional excellence, high expectations and preparation for successful futures.

Ayala said he tries to instill a growth mindset in his students while reminding them that the skills they develop in school can serve them well beyond graduation.

“High school students are navigating many commitments and challenges, both academically and beyond the classroom,” Ayala said. “I attempt to teach my students that the skills you learn in school can absolutely be useful in the real world and that each student should make the most of their high school experience.”

MacArthur Principal Shauna Showers said Ayala’s commitment to students and willingness to grow as an educator make him an exceptional member of the MacArthur community.

“Alexis is the kind of educator who sees the potential in every student and refuses to give up on that potential,” Showers said. “He combines strong relationships with high expectations and creates opportunities for students to engage with science in meaningful ways. His commitment to his students, his colleagues and our school community makes this recognition incredibly well deserved.”

Needham said Ayala’s influence extends beyond his classroom through his work as a soccer coach.

“As a science teacher and soccer coach, he builds relationships with students, supports their growth, and consistently goes the extra mile to create opportunities for them to succeed in different areas of their lives,” Needham said.

Learning From His Students, Too

While Ayala works to teach his students scientific concepts and the skills they will need beyond high school, he said his students have taught him something important, too: patience.

As someone who likes to stay on schedule and follow the curriculum closely, Ayala said his four years at MacArthur have taught him that learning sometimes takes longer than expected.

“I’ve learned that it’s perfectly fine to spend more than one day mastering a scientific concept,” he said.

This lesson reflects Ayala’s broader approach to teaching: meet students where they are, maintain high expectations, and give them the time and support they need to get there.

A Recognition of Excellence Across Aldine

Ayala’s recognition also marks the second consecutive year an Aldine ISD educator has received the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award. Plummer Middle School teacher Joseph Stewart received the honor in 2025.

Needham said that distinction is significant.

“Having an Aldine ISD teacher receive the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award for the second consecutive year is a powerful reflection of the excellence happening across the district,” Needham said. “It shows that outstanding teaching is not an isolated example, but part of a broader culture of educators who are deeply committed to their students, their craft and continuous growth.”

Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney joined the MacArthur High School community for the surprise celebration recognizing Ayala.

“Alexis represents what is possible when an educator combines high expectations with genuine care for students,” Goffney said. “He sees their potential, challenges them to grow, and helps them see possibilities for their own futures. That is the kind of teaching that gives students hope, and it is the kind of excellence we are committed to advancing across Aldine ISD.”

For Ayala, that hope is grounded in what he wants every student to understand about themselves.

“I want my students to know that with a solid work ethic, a positive attitude, and accountability, anything is possible,” he said. “These students have the world at their fingertips, and the sky is the limit.”

From Shock to a New Chapter

Ayala said he is still processing the significance of receiving the $30,000 award.

“I’m still over the moon, and I can’t believe this is all real,” he said.

The timing also makes the recognition especially meaningful. Ayala got engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Helen, in July.

“I think this money will help plan the wedding,” Ayala said.

But the most important reward for Ayala remains the chance to keep making a difference in his students’ lives.

If he could speak to the teacher who first walked into a MacArthur classroom as a 2022 Teach For America corps member, Ayala knows exactly what he would say.

“Stay consistent and continue to push through adversity,” Ayala said, “because in the end, the impact you will have on students will be meaningful and all your hard work as an educator and coach will be worth it.”

Four years after entering the classroom, Ayala has learned that teaching is not simply about getting through the curriculum or reaching the next lesson. It is about building relationships, creating opportunities to learn, maintaining high expectations, and helping students recognize what they can become.

That is the kind of everyday excellence worth celebrating — and the kind of educator who gives students another reason to believe in what comes next.

As Aldine begins the 2026–27 school year, Ayala’s story shows how educators help students recognize their strengths, pursue their goals, and believe in what comes next.

It is also one more reason to #ChooseAldine.

The $30,000 contribution from the Kinder Foundation was facilitated through the Aldine Education Foundation, which served as fiscal agent for the investment supporting the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award.