Carolina De Anda working side by side with her dual-language students, fostering an environment where every background is treated as an instructional asset. Photos courtesy of H-E-B Excellence in Education.
Carolina De Anda’s journey from a student in a quiet corner in an English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom to an award-winning teacher and advocate for policy change is a powerful example of this kind of interconnected strength. As a student who arrived in the United States from Mexico at age 13, school felt intimidating. She spent her early years navigating a new language, translating complex documents for her family, and trying to understand systems that her peers cruised through effortlessly.
A childhood portrait of Carolina De Anda, whose early experiences navigating a new language and culture as a young girl inspired her dream to become an educator. Photo provided by Carolina De Anda.
Yet amid that deep uncertainty, certain educators made her feel truly seen. They looked beyond her accent and her barriers to remind her of her capacity. “Their belief in me planted a seed,” Carolina reflects. “Teaching became my dream because I knew firsthand the power of a teacher who helps a student see possibilities they cannot yet see for themselves. I wanted to become that person for someone else.”
When she first applied for the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers in 2019, she didn’t believe she belonged in the interview room. Today, her story stands as an example of the power of an interconnected, nurturing community, showing how a seed planted by one educator can grow to support a future generation of students.
I often describe myself as someone who is still, in many ways, an English language learner. It felt like I had to work twice as hard just to arrive at the same starting line.
CAROLINA DE ANDE
For a first-generation college student, navigating the path to higher education can be an isolating experience. Carolina remembers the daunting reality of completing financial aid applications, college admissions paperwork, and competitive scholarship forms largely on her own, frequently questioning if she belonged in higher education at all.
“For a long time, I felt like I was constantly trying to catch up,” Carolina explains. “I often describe myself as someone who is still, in many ways, an English language learner. It felt like I had to work twice as hard just to arrive at the same starting line.”
When she advanced to the interview phase of the Charles Butt Scholarship, she sat surrounded by other highly accomplished candidates, experiencing severe imposter syndrome. “I looked around the room and saw confidence, experience, and certainty,” she notes. “I remember wondering if it had been a mistake to advance to the next phase of the interview process. I felt completely out of place.”
But the selection committee recognized her immense potential. When the selection email arrived, it reshaped her entire future by funding her education, connecting her to a powerful network of fellow scholars, and transforming her self-perception. The scholarship helped her realize that many students from historically underrepresented backgrounds mistake unfamiliarity for inability.
“The truth is that I was never behind. I was simply climbing a mountain that looked different from everyone else’s,” Carolina says. “The scholarship helped me realize that my experiences as an immigrant and bilingual student were not obstacles to overcome. They were roots. They grounded me in resilience, opportunity, empathy, and perseverance.”
As a Charles Butt Scholarship recipient, Carolina and the 134 other Scholars in the 2019 cohort received an annual scholarship of $8,000 and professional development and networking opportunities. 43% of Charles Butt Scholarship recipients are first-generation college students, like Carolina. Scholarship recipients must be committed to teaching in the Texas public school system in either a Title I or majority economically disadvantaged school or in a priority subject area (math, science, special education, or bilingual). The support each scholarship recipient receives is designed to prepare them to be leaders in the field.
Bridging higher education and classroom practice: Carolina presenting her undergraduate research on local sociolinguistics at UTRGV. Photo provided by Carolina De Anda.
Carolina’s foundational network and deep understanding of pedagogy were forged through her educator preparation program at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). As a scholarship recipient, she completed her preparation through the STEP UP (Student Teacher Educator Preparation University Partnership) program—a year-long, clinically rich residency that allows future educators to spend an entire school year in a P-12 partnering classroom under the guidance of an experienced teacher before becoming the teacher of record.
“The STEP UP program made me go through a reflective process of what teaching was truly about,” she says. This immersive residency provided the practical skills and resilience she needed to thrive, teaching her that academic excellence and cultural affirmation are deeply connected.
Simultaneously, the scholarship program paired her with a mentor, Ms. Beulah Rangel—a local principal who was completing her doctorate at the time. Seeing a leader from her own community expanded her vision of what was possible and planted a new seed of ambition.
“She helped me see that the greatest leaders do not measure their success by what they accomplish alone, but by how many others they empower to succeed,” Carolina notes. Those conversations inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in educational administration. “As I prepare to graduate this July, I often reflect on the profound influence a mentor can have. A single person who believes in your potential can change the trajectory of your life.”
It’s the same families, same students, the same thing I went through. Their dreams, their hopes, their struggles… I understand what it feels like.
Today, in 2026, Carolina teaches fifth-grade Gifted & Talented Dual Language students just 10 minutes away from the U.S.-Mexico border, serving the very community where she grew up. “It’s the same families, same students, the same story I went through,” she says. “Their dreams, their hopes, their struggles are too familiar to me… I understand what it feels like.”
Because she lived that story, she intentionally uses her students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds as powerful instructional assets. A few years ago, one of her students, newly arrived from Argentina, stopped speaking in class after her accent drew unkind attention from peers. In response, Carolina stripped everything off her classroom walls. She placed her students into groups and tasked them with researching the cultures represented in the room: Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Nicaragua.
They built flags and discovered that the exact same word could carry beautifully different meanings depending on where a person was raised. Genuine, empathetic questions flooded the room, and her once-quiet student from Argentina started talking again.
To validate a quiet student’s home language and build cross-cultural empathy, Carolina had her classroom walls completely stripped and redesigned into student-led cultural research displays honoring Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Nicaragua (Argentina and Mexico pictured). Photos provided by Carolina De Anda.
The student’s mother later wrote Carolina a letter in Spanish, describing crossing paths with her as a “blessing” that brought out the absolute best in her daughter. This deep focus on connection led directly to academic achievements.
A handwritten letter from a grateful parent, thanking Ms. De Anda in Spanish for creating a safe, culturally respectful classroom that brought out the best in his son.
While completing her undergraduate studies, Carolina also channeled this passion for culturally responsive pedagogy into community-based research focused on sociolinguistics in the Rio Grande Valley. Under the mentorship of Dr. Katherine Christoffersen, she designed online teaching modules grounded in the Corpus Bilingüe del Valle (CoBiVa) to help local educators explore and celebrate regional linguistic practices. This pioneering work eventually contributed to her selection as a recipient of the prestigious 2026 James F. Veninga Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award.
Carolina’s dedication to inspiring the next generation stems from a pivotal moment in her own childhood. Encouraged by her teacher, Dr. Monica Walker, Carolina entered a national essay competition exploring how bilingualism serves a person’s future. Her winning essay led to her being named the 2019 National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) Student of the Year.
Four years later, the cycle repeated. As a third-grade teacher, Carolina recognized that exact same spark in her student, Andrea. She encouraged Andrea to enter the very same NABE national writing competition. In a spectacular full-circle moment, Andrea won the matching award and was honored with an official mention in the 118th Congressional Record.
Carolina De Anda accepting her national recognition on stage, celebrating her widespread contributions to bilingual education and community-grounded linguistic advocacy. Photo provided by Carolina De Anda.
“Watching her stand where I once stood was one of the most meaningful moments of my career,” Carolina reflects. “It reminded me that education is a ripple effect. She was proof of what happens when you give a child a chance. That is the legacy I hope to leave behind.”
Driven by the realization that she cannot protect her students from every hardship outside of school, Carolina has chosen to become their advocate. She has traveled to the Texas Capitol to study educational policy and legislation in partnership with Raise Your Hand Texas’ advocacy, given public testimonials urging the release of federal Title III funds, and participated in an exclusive session with U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona to advocate for better teacher preparation and retention.
Her exceptional leadership was acknowledged this spring when she received the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Elementary Rising Star Award, honoring the state’s most promising educators with less than a decade of experience.
From a thrilling surprise classroom visit alongside the H-E-Buddy mascot to accepting the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Elementary Rising Star Award on the main stage, Carolina credits her community for every milestone.Photos courtesy of H-E-B Excellence in Education.
“Receiving recognition has been incredibly humbling because every award represents the collective support of a community,” Carolina says. “Behind every accomplishment are mentors, professors, administrators, colleagues, families, and students who invested in me along the way. At a time when many educators are leaving the profession, I remain because I see the impact teachers have every day. Awards may recognize a moment, but relationships are what sustain a career.”
To celebrate her students’ voices, Carolina led a classroom project where her third-graders authored and illustrated their own collaborative bilingual book. Tucked inside the pages, one student drew a small illustration with a thought bubble that read: “When I grow up, I want to be a teacher to pass it on just like my teacher [Carolina De Anda] did.”
Featuring individual bilingual student entries from Andrea. Image provided by Carolina De Anda.
Your language is an asset. Your story matters. The experiences that make you feel different today may one day become your greatest strengths.
“Oh, my, that broke me,” Carolina admits. She keeps that book, along with a binder overflowing with student and parent letters, on her shelf as a daily reminder of her purpose. “The greatest measure of success has been the letters that my students write to me and their words of encouragement. It’s about the relationships you build. That’s what keeps you going.”
When expanding on how these vital networks sustain a career, she points directly back to the forest canopy. “I like to think of it like the redwood trees. They’re the tallest trees in the world. You might think that they have really deep roots, but they actually don’t. They have roots that grow outward and intertwine with the other tree roots around them. That’s how I see teaching.”
For the bilingual students sitting quietly in Texas classrooms today, wondering if they belong, Carolina’s message is clear: “You do. Your language is an asset. Your story matters. The experiences that make you feel different today may one day become your greatest strengths. The world needs more bilingual teachers, leaders, advocates, and changemakers who understand the power of bridging cultures.”
Teaching is a noble endeavor, and its ultimate beauty lies in this infinite cycle. A seed is planted by an empathetic educator; it is nurtured and protected by a dedicated network; it grows into a towering tree that locks roots with its peers; and eventually, it drops new seeds to ensure the forest thrives for generations to come. Carolina De Anda is standing tall, her roots are firmly locked, and because of her, a whole new generation of Texas students is ready to reach for the sky.
Discover all posts