Beatrice Garcia pic

Beatrice Garcia, a veteran of 27 years in the classroom, has been recognized statewide for her dedication to teaching deaf and hard of hearing students.

She earned the Outstanding Teacher of the Deaf award at the 19th biennial Texas Association of Parents and Educators of the Deaf (TAPED) conference July 19 in Corpus Christi.

“I love my job,” Garcia gestured through sign language. “I love working with kids. I like to show them that they have those role models and that they can go to Gallaudet University (a school for the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington, D.C.).”

Garcia was also honored as the Campus Teacher of the Year for McAllen ISD’s Memorial High School last spring.

TAPED continually strives to recognize all of the great people and organizations in Texas who give so much to the education of students who are deaf and hard of hearing. This and other awards were first given in 1990 and are given to individuals/organizations for their contributions to the field of deaf education. The first statewide conference was in 1984.

McAllen ISD’s Regional Day School Program for the Deaf was established in 1978 and serves families from Mercedes to Roma. For more information, call 956-971-4500.