Immigrant and educator Gail Hudson: Nevada’s 2020 Teacher of the Year

Elementary school educator Gail Hudson, an immigrant from Belize, named 2020 Nevada State Teacher of the Year.

I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional educators who have earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of these is Gail Hudson, an elementary teacher from Nevada who has garnered the title of 2020 Nevada State Teacher of the Year.

Gail teaches fifth grade at John R. Hummel Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada. There she serves as the school’s liaison on the Clark County district’s Equity and Diversity Department. As the Las Vegas school’s Title I site coordinator, she has also helped with the schools Title I plan. Title I schools have a high percentage of students living in poverty.

Gail emigrated to the United States from Belize 45 years ago in search of better education opportunities. In interviews, she often recalls that it was her eighth grade teacher that made a difference in her life and contributed to her personal success. Maybe it was because of that teacher’s inspiration that Gail became the first in her family to attend college.

Her career as an educator has spanned 32 years. “They know I am here for them every single day. I wake up to come to them and I want them to wake up to come to me. It is my duty to continue to serve children,” Hudson asserted. “They deserve the best educator possible. They deserve teachers who go above and beyond,” she continued.

Gail earned her Bachelor’s degree in Science Education from Western Illinois University. She earned her Master’s degree in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University. She earned a second Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from DePaul University. In addition, Gail completed the requirements for a certificate in literacy and English as a Second Language (ESL), and a diploma in Intercultural Relationships from The Intercultural Development Research Institute. She’s also a National Board Certified Teacher.

To read more about this amazing educator, see this link published on the online site of the Las Vegas Review.