Tag Archives: Latino American Teachers

Teachers who were Latino Americans, or who worked with Latino American student populations.

Puerto Rico STEM teacher Janine Hidalgo garners coveted PAEMST

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Elementary STEM teacher Janine Hidalgo of San Juan, Puerto Rico, garnered a coveted PAEMST in 2020. Photo credit: University of Puerto Rico

There are many talented educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Janine Hidalgo, an elementary school teacher from Puerto Rico. She garnered a coveted PAEMST in 2020.

The PAEMST, Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, recognize the dedication, hard work, and importance that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, innovators, space explorers, and engineers. The PAEMST program, founded in 1983, is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The honor comes with a $10,000 cash prize.

Janine teaches at Academia San Ignacio de Loyola in San Juan. In a career that has spanned over 20 years, she has spent the last six of them teaching fifth and sixth grade science. She has a reputation for being a compassionate and responsive teacher with excellent skills in classroom management, behavior modification, and individualized support. In her classroom, she works with students at all skill levels to promote learning and boost educational success.

The honored educator encourages her students to develop student-led and community-based projects. And these projects have been quite successful.  In 2013, Janine founded her school’s first Robotics Team. Under her leadership, the team won the First Lego League (FLL) first place prize in both the 2013-2014 and in 2015-2016 competitions. In the Puerto Rico Championships in 2014-2015, her team captured the Programming Award. And then her school’s  team became Puerto Rico’s delegation at the FLL North American Open Champion at Legoland, CA. In 2017-2020, Janine incorporated expanded learning opportunities for her students when she integrated the VEX IQ Robotics platform. In 2019, Janine coordinated the school’s first trip to Space Camp in Alabama. During the trip, her students won the Right Stuff Award and obtained one for the highest average scores on missions and engineering challenges.

Through all of these experiences, Janine’s students have developed a well-rounded scientific mind and see the value of teamwork. To recognize her expert leadership and her dedication, Janine was recognized as a distinguished Robotics Coach by FLL of Puerto Rico in 2020.

Janine earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Puerto Rico. She is a certified elementary and STEM school teacher.

CA educator and highly-decorated veteran Ernest Robles

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California educator Ernest Robles also served as a highly-decorated veteran in the Korean War. Photo Credit: Legacy.com

Many excellent classroom teachers have also served their country as military veterans. One of these was Ernest Robles, a California educator who was also a highly-decorated Marine in the Korean War.

Ernest was born on Feb. 16, 1931, in Pirtleville, Arizona. As a young man, he lettered in football. After high school, Ernest served his country in the US Marines, where he saw combat in the Korean War. While there, he earned a Bronze Star, a Navy Commendation Medal of Valor, and a Purple Heart.

Once he was discharged from the military, Ernest earned his Bachelor’s degree in History from University of California, Los Angeles. He earned his Master’s degree in Education from the University of Redlands in Redlands, California. After completing his education, Ernest spent many years teaching school, working as a school counselor, and serving as a principal and administrator in the Riverside School District in Riverside. Later, he moved to San Francisco where he accepted a position as an Assistant Regional Administrator for Equal Educational Opportunities in the US Office of Education.

Ernest also supported education by founding the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Starting the effort out of his own home in 1975, he headed the organization for more than 20 years, distributing $30,000 in scholarships in the first year alone. Over the next 20 years, the Fund distributed a total of $31 million to more than 30,000 outstanding college students. Under his direction, the scholarship fund was named the Nation’s Best Fund Charity by Worth magazine in 1987. His legacy continues even today, as the Fund has now awarded $50 million in scholarships.

For his contributions to the Hispanic community, Ernest was honored at the White House by President Ronald Reagan, President George Bush, and First Lady Hillary Clinton. He has also received the Education Leadership Award from the College Board and the Hispanic Higher Education Award from the National Hispanic Corporate Council. In addition, he was named one of the “100 Influential Hispanics in the United States” by Hispanic Magazine.

After his retirement from education, Ernest enjoyed traveling, reading, and cheering on his favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers. Sadly, Ernest passed away on Sept. 5, 2022. He was 91 years old.

Educator Joaquin Bustoz established AP program for Tempe students

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Educator Joaquin Bustoz established an Advanced Placement math and science program for students in the Tempe Unified School District. Photo Credit: Arizona State University

There are many examples of brilliant educators who have offered their talents to improve high school instruction. One such educator was Joaquin Bustoz, Jr., a university math professor from Arizona who established an Advanced Placement program for high school students.

Joaquin was born on Dec. 30, 1939, in Tempe, Arizona, one of five children born to parents Joaquin, Sr., and Ramona. His parents, who were farm workers, also worked for their local schools, and were so revered that the Tempe Unified School District even named one of their elementary school after the couple.

In 1962, Joaquin earned his Bachelor’s degree in math from Arizona State University. Continuing his education at that institution, he earned his Master’s degree the following year, and in 1967 he completed the requirements for his PhD. After earning his doctorate, Joaquin became a professor of mathematics at the University of Cincinatti, where he taught from 1969 to 1976.

In 1985, Joaquin founded the Summer Math-Science Honors program for high school students under the auspices of the University of Arizona. Still in place today, the curriculum offers an Advanced Placement program that provides opportunities for under-represented students to study university mathematics and science while still enrolled in high school. He also devoted many hours to Native American students on the nearby Navajo and Pima Reservations.

For his outstanding work as an educator, Joaquin garnered numerous awards. For example, President Bill Clinton recognized Joaquin with the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math, and Engineering (PAEMST) in 1996.

Sadly, this talented and dedicated educator was killed on Aug. 13, 2003, in an automobile accident. He is interred at Double Butte Cemetery in Tempe.

You can learn more about this outstanding Chalkboard Champion on the website of the Mathematical Association of America by clicking MAA. You can also learn more about the Advanced Placement program he founded at ASU Summer Math Program.

NM teacher Silvia Miranda earns prestigious PAEMST Award

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New Mexico educator Silvia Miranda has garnered a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Photo Credit: PAEMST

Congratulations to New Mexico educator Silvia Miranda, who has garnered a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This prestigious award honors the dedication, hard work, and important role that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, innovators, space explorers, and engineers.

Silvia currently works with kindergarteners through second graders at Mesa Elementary School and James Bickley Elementary School in Clovis, New Mexico. In her classroom, Silvia sets high standards for herself and her students. In her curriculum, she emphasizes whole brain strategies, a growth mindset philosophy, interest-based learning, and data-driven instruction.

During the pandemic, when her students were told they could not use the school playground for safety reasons, Silvia designed a lesson that asked her students to plan a playground that would allow for social distancing, using their newly-acquired multiplication and division skills to compute areas and to stay within a budget. In another lesson, she established a weather station and led her students in discovery learning about the links between water and weather and life. As part of that lesson, her students became “weather pals” with students in Africa, where they talked about wells and water issues.

In addition to her work in her school, Silvia is a Khan Academy Ambassador and a Statistics in our Schools Ambassador. She has served as a Clovis Municipal Schools Teacher Leader since 2018, was a state ambassador for the NM Teacher Leader Network for two years, and served on the state Secretary’s Teacher Advisory.

For her work as an educator, Silvia has earned many accolades. She is a 2020 NSTA Teacher Awards finalist, a 2018 Milken Educator Award recipient, was Clovis Teacher of the Year in 2018, and was a NM Teacher of the Year finalist. She has been awarded many grants for STEM education.

Silvia earned her Bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in Elementary Education from Eastern New Mexico University. She earned her Master’s degree, summa cum laude, in Education Literacy from Wayland Baptist University. She is a National Board Certified Teacher for early and middle childhood literacy, and she is certified in kindergarten through eighth grade elementary education with an endorsement in bilingual education.