TREA Announces Finalists for the 2025 “Of the Year” Awards!

AUSTIN, TX – May 6, 2025 – The Texas Rural Education Association (TREA) is thrilled

to announce the finalists for its prestigious “… Of the Year” Awards! Each year, TREA

proudly spotlights the remarkable individuals and school boards who make a profound

impact on rural education across Texas. This year, we celebrate the dedication and

passion of nominees in five key categories: School Board, Superintendent, Principal,

Teacher, and Paraprofessional.

Join us as we recognize these inspiring finalists during the OTY Awards Luncheon at

the TREA Annual Conference, taking place at the Kalahari Resort & Convention Center

in Round Rock, June 22-25, 2025. The Awards Luncheon, a highlight of the conference,

will be held on Tuesday, June 24th, where each deserving winner will be honored and

presented with an award. The Teacher of the Year will deliver the keynote address at

the luncheon, where both the Teacher and Paraprofessional of the Year will each

receive a $1500 award in recognition of their outstanding contributions.

TREA extends its sincere gratitude to everyone who took the time to nominate an

exceptional colleague or school board. Your participation highlights the incredible talent

within our rural school districts. Keep an eye out for the announcement of the winners,

which will be made on or before May 15, 2025. We applaud all the dedicated staff and

school boards from our member districts throughout the great state of Texas!

Paraprofessional OTY Teacher OTY

Josie Garcia | Palestine ISD Barbara Coleman | Copperas Cove ISD

Maribel Gonzalez | Dalhart ISD Barbara Miller | Dalhart ISD

Tammy Yount | Kemp ISD Cheryl Fuhrmann | Lindsay ISD

Tomasa Gomez | Dalhart ISD Robyn Hedrick | Lindsay ISD

Principal OTY Tracy Crumpton | Cushing ISD

Buck Haynes | Como-Pickton CISD Tracy Denny | Detroit ISD

Heather Boatright | Kemp ISD Superintendent OTY

Holli Farias | Evadale ISD Brandon K. Hubbard | Chilton ISD

Leanne Bobo | Lampasas ISD Eric Pustejovsky | Abbott ISD

Patrick Crawley | Copperas Cove ISD Gabriel Zamora | Fort Stockton ISD

Trisha Foerster | Goliad ISD Hector Dominguez | Runge ISD

School Board OTY James Rosebrock | Rosebud-Lott ISD

Cumby Collegiate ISD Jeff Byrd | Dalhart ISD

Rio Hondo ISD Kimberly Followwell | Murchison ISD

Rosebud-Lott ISD Michael Alphin | Harmony ISD

Runge ISD

{finalists listed in alpha by FIRST name}