Becker School teacher wins 25th Annual Martel Early Childhood Educator Award

HOUSTON (April 8, 2025)– A+ for Alejandra! The results are in, and the gold star goes to Alejandra Garcia! Children's Museum Houston, in partnership with the Martel Foundation, is thrilled to announce Garcia as the winner of the 25th Annual Marian and Speros Martel Early Childhood Educator Award. A dedicated teacher of two-year-olds at the Becker School in Houston, Garcia has proven that big learning starts with the littlest learners. She received a $1,000 honorarium and an educator membership to the Children’s Museum Houston—because learning through play isn’t just for kids!

The award ceremony, held at the Museum’s Institute for Family Learning on April 5, also gave a well-deserved round of applause to two remarkable finalists: Aviva Abitol, a preschool teacher at Robert Beren Academy, and Latoya Davis, a kindergarten teacher at Stafford Early Childhood Center in Stafford ISD. Both educators earned educator memberships to the Museum—opening doors to inspiration, innovation, and interactive fun!

This year’s ceremony marked a major milestone: 25 years of honoring early childhood educators! To celebrate, past winners returned for a reunion filled with high-fives and heartwarming moments. Among those in attendance were Elieen Hult Kopfer (2007),Christi Lee Herring (2008), Beatrice Graham (2009), Maggie Abrego (2015),Isabel McHan (2018), and Emily Hilbig Sullivan (2019). Their continued passion for education proves that great teachers leave a lasting impact!

Each year, the Martel Early Childhood Educator Award shines a spotlight on educators who make learning an adventure for Houston’s youngest scholars. Finalists are selected by a committee of education professionals who review nominations and visit classrooms to see these educators in action.

The 2024-2025 Martel Committee included Chair Mary Jane Gomez, Dr. Amelia Hewitt, Dr. Rebecca Huss Keeler, Dr. Barbara Samuels, Sandra Sandoval, Dr. Sharon Spillman, Mary Stancel, and Dr. Lisa Williams, the Museum’s liaison to the committee.

Think you or a stellar educator you know could be next year’s winner? Applications for the 2025-2026 award open in September 2025—so get ready to raise your hand!