COPPERAS COVE – The brightest stars of this school year have been honored in Cove.
Wednesday, Copperas Cove ISD announced its 2025-26 Employees of the Year, celebrating the best and brightest team members this year.
These are employees, both instructional and behind the scenes, who have gone above and beyond this year in creating a positive learning environment for the more than-7,600 students in Copperas Cove.
Auxiliary departments each nominated their employee of the year, while each of CCISD’s 11 campuses nominated a paraprofessional, rookie teacher and teacher of the year.
All 35 nominees were celebrated at a banquet sponsored by H-E-B Plus! of Copperas Cove.
“These terrific educators handle real challenges every single day with patience and grace,” said Jennifer Cotter from H-E-B Plus! of Copperas Cove. “They are what make our community so special, from cheering their students on to showing up for school events, fundraisers and anything else that brings people together, CCISD’s educators show up. On behalf of all of us at H-E-B of Cove, I thank each and every one of them for their heart, dedication and everything they do for our community and our students.”
Auxiliary Employee of the Year recognized employees from the non-instructional departments vital to the daily operation of CCISD.
Child Nutrition: Brittany Fraser
Custodial Services: Adam Vasquez
Maintenance: Gabriel Lopez
Health Services: Ella Doubleday
Technology: Daniela Pitts
Transportation: John Davila
Warehouse: Yolanda Pitts
Adam Vasquez from Custodial Services was named CCISD Auxiliary Employee of the Year.
“Adam coordinates the setups for everything from standardized testing to after-school or daytime events,” custodial supervisor Roberto Ramos said. “He ensures his team has those spaces thoroughly cleaned and rest overnight so the building is ready for the regular school day the next morning. And he’s continued to do that to help ensure the First Baptist Church had a space to gather every weekend after a fire forced the congregation to meet at the campus while repairs are made at their facility.”
Paraprofessional of the Year recognized the work of the various aides and other staff who help execute educational plans for students each day.
Clements/Parsons Elementary: Jeannelly Moreno
Copperas Cove High School: Kyle Ward
Copperas Cove Jr. High: Carolyn Williams
Crossroads High School: Maureen Ames
Fairview/Jewell Elementary: Jessica Hernandez-Negron
Hettie Halstead Elementary: Mia Galit
House Creek Elementary: Jaelyn Villagomez
Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy: Regina Lerue
Martin Walker Elementary: Grace Tarin
S.C. Lee Jr. High: Cortney Homan
Williams/Ledger Elementary: Terry Wyland
Cortney Homan, a PEIMS secretary at S.C. Lee Jr. High, was named CCISD Paraprofessional of the Year.
“Ms. Homan is the best-kept secret at S.C. Lee,” campus principal Marshall Chauvin said. “When it comes to PEIMS and the vast amount of information involved, the work is never-ending and constantly evolving. Ms. Homan excels in this area and consistently ensures that everything is accurate, organized and completed with a high level of precision.”
Rookie Teacher of the Year recognized teachers who are new to the profession, but have still made a profound impact on their students and colleagues in the district.
Copperas Cove High School: Akeem Cherizard
Copperas Cove Jr. High: Bethanie McGinnis
Fairview/Jewell Elementary: Daizja Olsen
Martin Walker Elementary: Mea Boger
S.C. Lee Jr. High: Angelic Garrett
Williams/Ledger Elementary: Erica Dunlap
Martin Walker Elementary’s Mea Boger was named CCISD’s 2026 Rookie Teacher of the Year.
“Mrs. Boger stands out because she performs at the level of a seasoned veteran, even though she is in her early years of teaching,” Martin Walker principal Kelly Thompson said. “When I visit her classroom with our curriculum consultant, the reaction is always the same, that it’s hard to believe she is a new teacher. She gets her kindergarten students collaborating in meaningful ways, especially in math.”
Elementary Teacher of the Year recognized the most impactful classroom teachers on each of the district’s seven elementary campuses.
Clements/Parsons Elementary: Leyda Worden
Fairview/Jewell Elementary: Amanda Hawk
Hettie Halstead Elementary: Miranda DeLeon
House Creek Elementary: Kristie Boster
Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy: Von McElroy
Martin Walker Elementary: Teresa Gorres
Williams/Ledger Elementary: Crystal Chaco
Leyda Worden, a fourth-grade bilingual teacher at Clements/Parsons Elementary, was named CCISD Elementary Teacher of the Year and advanced to the ESC Region 12 Teacher of the Year competition.
“As a fourth-grade bilingual teacher who teaches all subjects, Ms. Worden skillfully meets the diverse academic and linguistic needs of her students, ensuring that each child has access to high-quality instruction and the opportunity to succeed,” Clements/Parsons principal Robin Lawrence said. “Her ability to seamlessly integrate language development with rigorous content instruction sets her apart and creates a dynamic, inclusive classroom environment.”
Secondary Teacher of the Year recognized the most impactful classroom teachers on each of the middle and high school campuses in Copperas Cove.
Copperas Cove High School: Kathryn Taylor
Copperas Cove Jr. High: Veronica Sheon
Crossroads High School: Kimberly French
S.C. Lee Jr. High: Kenneth Marina
Kathryn Taylor, a math inclusion teacher at Copperas Cove High School, was named the district’s Secondary Teacher of the Year and advanced to the ESC Region 12 Teacher of the Year competition.
“As I have witnessed on several occasions, Mrs. Taylor is highly-engaged with students in her class,” CCHS associate principal Jeff Shannon said. “She is always moving around the room, checking student work and looking for ways to support when they struggle with the content. She has built a good rapport with the students, making the instructional investment worthwhile for her and her students.”
Copperas Cove ISD would like to thank its community partners at H-E-B for their generosity in making this event possible and recognizing the hard-working staff in the district.