Local teacher recognized nationally
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A local teacher just returned from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was bestowed with a prestigious award from the National Education Association. Alejandro "Alex" De La Pena was recognized with the George I Sanchez Memorial award for his dedication to social-emotional learning and creating equitable educational opportunities for all students.
The win is inspiring, but so is what he does every day in the classroom and beyond.
The Parkland Middle School special education teacher is passionate about making sure underserved students are equipped with the tools and resources they need to succeed. He has secured several grants for learning equipment, supplies and even sanitary pads and books. To date, he has raised more than $220-thousand dollars. All of it is given back to the kids in not just his classroom, but the whole school.
De La Pena says he had a rough start, and wants to do what he can to make life better for others.
"I grew up in rough neighborhoods. My family members, my friends were all gang members. Nobody had ever graduated from high school in my family. Nobody had even gone to college in my family and that's the life I was leading up until then," De La Pena says. He wasn't always heading in the right direction. But after the birth of his special needs son, who died three days leader, he says he turned his life around. He was told his son would have struggled in life, and that's when de la Pena decided to become a special education teacher.
"My classroom is decked out. Lots of stuff for my students but 80-90 percent is for the rest of the school... If I see something can help or should be done - I do it, best I can.
De La Pena's son Aryel, who's starting college this year, tells ABC-7 he and his 12-year old sister Annaciel are inspired by their father. Watching him accept his award on stage at the NEA ceremony was exciting.
"He's always my idol, but when he's up there he's really shining... it inspires me to be the best I can be because he's always there for us," says Aryel.
