Out of 77 school districts across the 12-county education service area of Region 12, two Waco ISD educators have been named the 2026 Region 12 Teachers of the Year. West Avenue Elementary School’s Dara Altamirano has been named the Region 12 Elementary Teacher of the Year, and Waco High School’s Taylor Adame has been named the Region 12 Secondary Teacher of the Year. Both teachers were selected to represent Region 12 by a committee of area educators and will move forward to represent the region as candidates for Texas Teacher of the Year. This is the first time the Region 12 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year were selected from the same district since the Texas Association of School Administrators took over the recognition program in 2011. 

"It is truly remarkable to see both the Region 12 Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year honors awarded to educators from Waco ISD,” said Dr. Kenny Berry, Executive Director of Education Service Center Region 12. “Dara Altamirano and Taylor Adame exemplify the heart, skill, and dedication that define outstanding teaching. Their passion for connecting learning to life beyond the classroom is not only shaping student success but also reflecting the strong commitment to excellence across Waco ISD.”

Altamirano has taught at West Avenue Elementary since 2023. She has been in education for 13 years, serving Waco ISD in various capacities since 2015, and teaching for three years in Austin ISD. Altamirano currently teaches first-grade and is committed to fostering a love for reading and writing in her students. She has created a learning environment that is supportive, safe and engaging to build a strong foundation for her students’ future academic success. Altamirano is also passionate about inspiring and mentoring other teachers to cultivate the next generation of effective educators. She finds great joy in helping both young learners and fellow teachers grow, and hopes to create joy for them in return.

Adame has taught U.S. History at Waco High School since 2020 and has served as the Social Studies Department Head since 2022. Adame has been in education for ten years, previously serving for four years at another Waco ISD campus and one year in Duncanville ISD. Adame is passionate about connecting historical events to contemporary issues and encourages her students to analyze the past to apply its lessons to the present. She hopes that her classroom is where history shifts into action and empowers her students to shape their community. Outside of teaching, Adame strives to establish a school culture where every student is seen, supported and valued. She knows that just because a student is not on her roster doesn’t mean they are not in her reach, and works to help build better futures for the students of Waco High School.

“It is a historic and meaningful accomplishment for Waco ISD to have both the Region 12 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year in the same year,” said Dr. Tiffany Spicer, Superintendent of Waco ISD. “This recognition is a testament to the exceptional work our educators are doing every day and a powerful example of how Wisdom Works Wonders across our district.”

ESC Region 12 and Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, the Region 12 Educators of the Year program sponsor, will recognize Altamirano, Adame and other regional educators of the year in the coming months. The Texas Teacher of the Year process, facilitated by TASA, will continue later this month when judges meet to review the applications of regional Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year nominees from all 20 education service areas in Texas. Three finalists from each category will move on to interview with a panel of judges in September or October, after which TASA will announce the Texas Teachers of the Year.