Out of 77 school districts across the 12-county education service area of Region 12, China Spring ISD’s Keima Zapata has been named the 2027 Region 12 Elementary Teacher of the Year and regional nominee for Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. Zapata was selected as China Spring ISD’s Elementary Teacher of the Year in May and advanced to the regional level, where a committee of area educators selected her to represent Region 12.

“Mrs. Zapata’s dedication to her students, her passion for literacy, and her commitment to helping every child succeed reflect the very best of public education,” said Dr. Kenny Berry, Executive Director of Education Service Center Region 12. “We are proud to recognize her as Region 12's Elementary Teacher of the Year and celebrate the incredible impact she is making at China Spring ISD and beyond.”

Zapata has taught at China Spring Elementary School since 2005 and has been in her current role as a reading intervention teacher since 2019. Prior to becoming a reading interventionist, Zapata served as a second-grade teacher for two years and as a first-grade teacher for 12 years. Throughout her career, her goal has been to promote reading and fun in the classroom.

“Mrs. Zapata exemplifies what we strive for in China Spring ISD,” said Dr. Marc Faulkner, Superintendent of China Spring ISD. “She creates engaging learning experiences that inspire curiosity, build confidence and help students discover a genuine love of reading. Her ability to connect with students and make learning meaningful is what great teaching is all about, and we are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition.”

As a teacher, Zapata’s approach is to use different methods to reach a wide range of learners and to use repetition to ensure learning sticks, all while having fun. An example of Zapata’s approach in action is how she teaches syllables to her students. Her lesson spans over several weeks and begins with exploring the different types in various ways. Zapata introduces the concept to students, then uses a video to explore syllables in a different way, and finally teaches students short catchphrases to help them remember their learning. Once students have an understanding, Zapata helps them practice and extend their learning through activities that incorporate movement. She created a scavenger hunt activity in which students located numbered syllables throughout the room and combined them to form real words. Students then read the multisyllabic words to Zapata, showcasing how they apply phonics rules while having a visual representation of words broken down into syllables. Zapata’s approach reinforces learning through repetition while also using different methods to ensure all students understand the content, regardless of their learning styles. 

In her role as a reading intervention teacher, Zapata strives to improve processes and instruction to benefit all students. She helped establish progress-monitoring tools and a new norm for the reading interventionist role. Drawing on her background in teaching reading to young students, Zapata guided the development of a hybrid intervention program that included explicit phonics instruction. She also helped reassess how the school determined eligibility for intervention, creating a system that used multiple factors. Through this process, she deepened her understanding of how different data points can be used to better assess a student’s ability and to promote a deeper understanding of intervention needs. Zapata also emphasizes the importance of phonics and small-group instruction and participates in professional development to strengthen her understanding and share her learning with her peers. With her advocacy, phonics and small-group instruction have become a focal point at China Spring Elementary, ensuring all students benefit from the instructional approach. 

Outside of the classroom, Zapata works to promote a culture that encourages reading at China Spring Elementary. Zapata is a fan of Harry Potter, and her classroom is decorated with many references to the series, including castles and floating candles. Her enjoyment of the series led her to start a Harry Potter book club at the school to build excitement for reading. Student engagement was immediate, and Zapata received more signups than she anticipated or had time for. Instead of letting the overwhelming response deter her, Zapata pivoted and set up a schedule to ensure all interested students could participate. Parents, teachers and community members donated books, and Zapata hosted book club meetings before school and during lunch. She read out loud, and students followed along, making the book club accessible to students of all reading levels. The increased enthusiasm for reading was clear as students began to dress up for the book club and read more Harry Potter at home on their own or with their parents. This initial book club led to the formation of other book clubs. The initiative went from just under 100 students signed up in the first year to over 150 in the second year. Zapata’s book clubs have created a culture where reading and books are spoken about with excitement at China Spring Elementary. 

Zapata has a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Tarleton State University. She has Generalist (EC-4), Legacy Master Reading Teacher (EC-12) and ESL Supplemental (EC-12) certifications. She is a member of the Texas American Federation of Teachers and was named China Spring ISD Teacher of the Month in 2017, 2021, 2025 and 2026.

ESC Region 12 and Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, the Region 12 Educators of the Year program sponsor, will recognize Zapata and other regional educators of the year in the coming months. The Texas Teacher of the Year process, facilitated by the Texas Association of School Administrators, will continue in August when judges meet to review the regional Elementary Teacher of the Year nominees from all 20 education service areas in Texas. Three finalists will move on to interview with a panel of judges in September or October, after which TASA will announce the Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year.