Region 7 Education Service Center Announces its 2025 Teachers of the Year
Kilgore, Texas - Region 7 Education Service Center is honored to announce that Diana Smith from Edgewood ISD and Cheli Vasquez from Jacksonville ISD have been named Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year for Region 7. Both educators will represent Region 7 as semifinalists in the 2025 Texas Teacher of the Year competition.
Smith and Vasquez were nominated by their local school districts for their exceptional commitment to student success, their passion to initiate activities that improve instruction, and their willingness to make meaningful contributions to education.
Elementary Teacher of the Year, Diana Smith, is a third-grade math and science teacher, as well as the Gifted & Talented K-5 teacher, STEM Coach, and Instructional Coach at Edgewood Independent School District in Edgewood, Texas. Smith started her teaching journey in 2006 as a fifth and sixth-grade teacher in Corydon, Indiana after graduating from Indiana University with her Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Science in Education from Waldon University. In 2013, Smith relocated to Texas, and in 2018 she joined Edgewood ISD where she remains today.
Smith knew she wanted to be a teacher from an early age. Her grandmother, aunts, and cousins were all deeply rooted in fields of education, and after a short time serving in restaurant management, Smith knew she needed to dedicate her career to helping young adults who lacked the basic skills necessary to flourish in the real world.
“One of the greatest gifts we can give our students is the belief in their own potential,” says Smith. “By cultivating a growth mindset in our classrooms, it empowers students to embrace challenges, persist through setbacks, and view effort as a pathway to mastery on their educational journey.”
“We are thrilled that Mrs. Smith has been named Region 7’s Elementary Teacher of the Year,” says Edgewood ISD Superintendent Kristin Prater. “Her exceptional dedication, innovative teaching methods, and unwavering commitment to our students exemplify the highest standards of education. Mrs. Smith inspires both students and colleagues, making a profound impact on our school community. We are incredibly proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and are grateful for her contributions to our educational mission.”
Secondary Teacher of the Year, Cheli Vasquez, is the art teacher at Nichols Intermediate School in Jacksonville, Texas. Vasquez started her journey in Jacksonville ISD 18 years ago as a para-professional at East Side Elementary. She worked on obtaining her college degree while working at East Side, and was awarded a full scholarship through the No Excuses University Parent Scholarship program in 2017. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education Studies at Ashford University in San Diego, California in 2019 and has been a teacher for JISD for the past five years.
“Cheli exemplifies the qualities we value in our educators: creativity, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of excellence," says Brad Stewart, Superintendent of Jacksonville ISD. "We are immensely proud of Cheli and grateful for her remarkable contributions to our district. This award is a testament to her hard work and the profound impact she has on our students."
At Region 7’s Teacher of the Year Luncheon on July 25, both winners were presented with grand prizes, courtesy of Orr Cadillac and A.Bargas & Associates. The dealership donated $2,500, and A. Bargas donated $1,000, which was split between the Elementary and Secondary winners.
In October, Smith and Vasquez will compete against the other thirty-eight Regional Teachers of the Year, which are reviewed by a panel of judges at TASA Headquarters in Austin. Six finalists will be chosen, and they will be invited to Austin for personal interviews. Winners will be chosen and announced at the Texas Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock. The Texas Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year will become spokespeople for all teachers in the state of Texas. They will also serve as traveling ambassadors for public education with a demanding schedule of speeches, workshops, and presentations while continuing to teach in the classroom.
TASA is the professional association for Texas school superintendents and other administrators. The mission of the organization, which focuses on professional learning, advocacy, and member engagement, is to promote, provide and develop leaders who create and sustain student-centered schools and develop future-ready students. For more information about the program, please visit tasanet.org/awards.
Region 7 ESC is committed to district, charter, and student success by providing quality programs and services that meet or exceed customer expectations. One of 20 regional education service centers statewide, Region 7 ESC participates in the planning, development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of innovative educational programs for 94 school districts and 7 charter schools in the counties of Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Nacogdoches, Rains, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Panola, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood. For more information, visit www.esc7.net.
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