H-E-B recognizes Northside ISD teacher as a Rising Star
Joe Garay first discovered his passion for teaching when he was in fourth grade, giving a presentation on the four types of clouds in front of his classmates.
“That just felt so good, to pass on information that you know,” Garay said.
Right after high school at age 19, he began substitute teaching in the same Southwest Independent School District, then became an elementary computer technologist, a role he held for 18 years before returning to school to get his teaching certificate.
“After my first couple years of teaching I did regret having waited so long,” Garay said. “Being in the classroom was even more rewarding than what I was doing before.”
He’s been at Valley Hi Elementary in Northside ISD for almost 10 years, and on Saturday was named a Rising Star in the statewide H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards.
Garay was the only teacher in San Antonio to be awarded a top prize out of 58 candidates across Texas. He received $5,000 for himself and $5,000 for his school, which he hopes will help teachers buy books for their classroom libraries.
H-E-B has been recognizing teachers, principals, early childhood programs and school districts and boards with cash awards annually since 2002. Winners are selected by a team of judges who include former winners, administrators, and university and community leaders not affiliated with the grocery chain.
“I did start late in the game. I come from a family where no one has gone to college,” Garay said. “I didn’t have that motivation from anyone to go back.”
When Garay started a program at his church to help young people figure out what to do after high school, he decided to use what he was learning, such as how to fill out a federal financial aid application, on himself.
What Garay loves the most about teaching is the opportunity to establish deep relationships with students. He did it with fifth graders for seven years. Today he teaches STEM, exposing students to anything that involves science, technology, engineering and the math that backs it all up.
“It is sort of like awakening sports in kids through P.E. or awakening the music profession through our music classes, it is similar to that,” Garay said.
“If I can teach them how to build their stamina, which is a big thing that we want in STEM, then that is a goal I’ve reached,” he said. “A lot of them just want to give up. If it is not easy, if it is not right now,
they have no patience.”
But part of that relationship is parental support, and Garay said he seeks it constantly and recognizes parents who step up.
“If there was a night where my father would attend an event. I was proud that I had my dad with me. I remember that feeling,” he said. “Coming from a community similar to this one, I can see what kind of needs these types of kids have and they definitely have a need to have their parents involved in their school.”
“Sometimes the worlds are kept separate, they have home world and they have school world. But I don’t think that should be. I think those worlds should merge together,” Garay said. “When you have the parents on your side then the possibilities are endless because they will support you.”
During the pandemic, the ties he had built with parents were the key to keeping virtual learning productive. He gave out his personal cellphone number so they could text him at night when students were stuck on homework and needed his help.
“I think they appreciated that openness,” Garay said. “They knew that I was accessible to them and knew I wanted to help the students get through this.”
Garay is also known for a reading method he taught his fifth-graders, allowing them to explore reading for fun and not for a specific assignment and giving them time to read during class.
He encourages students to bring their books to the line while waiting for the bathroom, or P.E. class, lunch or recess.
“My kiddos walk with their books everywhere they go on campus,” Garay said. “I could care less if they are eating with their book and get oil stains on them or whatever. I can always replace a book. I can’t replace a mind that doesn’t read.”
Garay knows he’s having an effect. even when kids don’t acknowledge it until later, when they’ve grown up. He cherishes visits from his old students. One of them once wrote him a letter that said, “My parents love me, but it is their job. But you chose to.”
“You have no idea what seeds you’re planting in a kid’s life until you see what has grown,” Garay said.