LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT WINNERS
DIANA GARCIA DeZavala Elementary School
San Marcos, Texas
Lifetime Achievement Elementary
“I come from a low SES background and God has always blessed me and driven me to be the best I can be. My family and friends have all supported me. Congratulations to all the teachers and thank you to H-E-B; this is going to make such a difference in my life.” Diana Garcia vividly recalls how her third-grade teacher, Ms. Gutierrez, made her feel loved and cared for while also making learning fun and exciting. Throughout her life, she continued to have experiences that inspired her to want to make learning fun for others and help them grow into their best potential selves, leading her to a career in education.
“Great educators believe in all their students and set high expectations, and they form relationships with their students. That way students feel loved, cared for, and safe.
Once a student feels this, they take risks, trust the teacher, and get motivated to put forth effort.”
After more than 24 years in the classroom, Garcia is still full of initiative and passion for learning, and thrives on empowering the students in her classroom by teaching them a range of skills and strategies to help them solve problems. In addition to helping her students set goals, she is working on her own by writing a book for educators centered on teaching dual-language students, equipping students with global citizenship skills, and discussing social justice in the classroom.
NICOLE VICKERMAN
R.C. Clark High School
Plano, Texas
Lifetime Achievement Secondary
“It is particularly poignant to receive this award at a difficult time when I’m trying to focus on gratitude, so I dedicate this award to my students, who challenge me and teach me and fill my classroom with joy. I am extremely grateful for the supportive community of educators that inspire me to always improve.” Nicole Vickerman comes from a family of teachers. Initially fueled by her love of social studies content, she was soon invigorated by opening a wider world to her students after noticing the increasingly critical need to inspire responsible, capable, empathetic and empowered global citizens.
“I want all students to know that I care about them before anything else. The research is clear about the importance of students feeling safe before they can learn, and building relationships makes everything easier. Experience is a huge benefit in this endeavor. I am grateful to my earliest students for teaching me how to teach with compassion.”
As a National Geographic Education Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, Vickerman credits the program for transforming her classroom instruction. In addition to traveling the world and relating those experiences back to the students in her class, she utilizes the National Geographic learning framework to inspire independent learners, storytellers, and change-makers.