Outstanding Texas educators win $480,000 in cash and grants
On Sunday, May 4, H-E-B announced the statewide winners for the 2025 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards during a ceremony in Downtown Austin with hundreds of educators and community leaders. Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired four-star admiral and former Chancellor of the University of the Texas System, gave the keynote address and helped distribute awards to the 68 outstanding finalists.
During the ceremony, $480,000 in cash and grants were awarded to six teachers, two counselors, two principals, one early childhood facility, one public school board and two school districts. Since 2002, the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program has awarded more than $14 million in funding to educators who go the extra mile to serve their students and their communities.
“At a time when public school educators face many challenges, it’s critically important that we honor the extraordinary individuals who are inspiring the next generation of Texans. Their work not only changes lives—it defines the future of our state,” Winell Herron, H-E-B Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs, said. “We heard remarkable stories of dedication, resilience and impact during the awards selection process. While it’s difficult to pick one winner in each category, all our finalists represent the very best of what it means to be an educator in Texas.”
Six winning teachers, including one elementary and one secondary teacher, were selected in each of the following three categories:
Six winning teachers, including one elementary and one secondary teacher, were selected in each of the following three categories:
The Rising Star Award
honors exceptionally promising teachers with less than 10 years of experience. These winners received a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their schools.
Elementary Rising Star
Secondary Rising Star
The Leadership Award
honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. These winners received a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their schools.
Elementary Leadership
Secondary Leadership
The Lifetime Achievement Award
salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. These teachers received $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools.
Elementary Lifetime Achievement
Secondary Lifetime Achievement
Counselors
Two counselors—one elementary and one secondary—received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $15,000 grant for their school.
Elementary School Counselor
Secondary School Counselor
Principals
Two principals—one elementary and one secondary—received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools.
Elementary School Principal
Secondary School Principal
School Districts
Two school districts–one small and one large–received awards. The winning small school district received $50,000, and the winning large school district received $100,000.
Small School District
Large School District
Early Childhood Facility
One winning early childhood facility received $25,000.
School Board
One winning school board received $25,000.
Lamar Consolidated Independent School District
Judging Process
Each year, H-E-B announces a statewide call for nominations and applications to recognize outstanding educators in Texas. Educators can be nominated for an award by community members throughout the state, or they can apply directly. Nominees are sent invitations to complete an online application.
For the 2025 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards, students in the Department of Education from Texas State University and Trinity University reviewed all applications and narrowed them down to semi-finalists. Five regional judging panels including school administrators, community leaders and former winners selected 50 teacher, principal and counselor finalists. These individuals received the news they were finalists from H-E-B representatives during surprise visits to their schools earlier this year. A statewide panel of judges interviewed these finalists on May 3 to determine winners.
Three separate judging panels selected five early childhood facilities, five school boards, and eight school district finalists. Site visits were conducted to determine the winners in these categories.
Call for 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards Nominations
Nominations for the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards are now open to all state-certified public school professionals currently working in Texas. Teachers, counselors, principals, early childhood centers, school boards and districts can win cash prizes for their outstanding work. Nominations will close on September 30, 2025.
About the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards
Each year, the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program awards cash prizes to honor outstanding public school professionals, and to thank them for their dedication and commitment. Through this program, H-E-B seeks to pay tribute to those educators who go the extra mile every day to serve their students and their communities and who inspire others to do the same.
Since the program’s inception in 2002, H-E-B has awarded more than $14 million in funding to outstanding Texas teachers, counselors, principals, public schools, early childhood centers, school boards and school districts.
To learn more, visit HEBLovesTeachers.com.
