The 2026 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year will soon be announced.
The winner will be recognized during a ceremony at the DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport & Convention Center on Tuesday night.
The four finalists, the regions they represent, and their schools are as follows:
- North – Shannon Grant, Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Campus
- Central – Daniel Vinat, J.C. Bermudez Doral Senior High School
- South – Vivian Ventura, Southwood Middle School
- Postsecondary Career and Technical Education – Leroy Douglas, Robert Morgan Educational Center & Technical College
The district will also recognize the 2025 Rookie Teacher of the Year finalists and announce the winner at the event.
The finalists, the regions they represent, and their schools are as follows:
- North – Karen Lisley Leiva, North Beach Elementary School
- Central – Reem Okab, Eneida M. Hartner Elementary School
- South – Nikolas Venegas, Avocado Elementary
- Postsecondary Career and Technical Education – Evlyne Colas, Lindsey Hopkins Technical College
Kendall Toyota will gift the winner a new car.
The 2025 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year was Melissa Abril-Dotel, a second-grade teacher at North Beach Elementary School. The Rookie Teacher of the Year was Juan Gabriel Martin, a music teacher at Citrus Grove K-8 Center.
The 2026 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year will soon be announced.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The 2026 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year will soon be announced.
The winner will be recognized during a ceremony at the DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport & Convention Center on Tuesday night.
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The four finalists, the regions they represent, and their schools are as follows:
-
North – Shannon Grant, Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Campus
-
Central – Daniel Vinat, J.C. Bermudez Doral Senior High School
-
South – Vivian Ventura, Southwood Middle School
-
Postsecondary Career and Technical Education – Leroy Douglas,Robert Morgan Educational Center & Technical College
The district will also recognize the 2025 Rookie Teacher of the Year finalists and announce the winner at the event.
The finalists, the regions they represent, and their schools are as follows:
-
North – Karen Lisley Leiva, North Beach Elementary School
-
Central –Reem Okab, Eneida M. Hartner Elementary School
-
South – Nikolas Venegas, Avocado Elementary
-
Postsecondary Career and Technical Education – Evlyne Colas, Lindsey Hopkins Technical College
Kendall Toyota will gift the winner a new car.
The 2025 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year was Melissa Abril-Dotel, a second-grade teacher at North Beach Elementary School. The Rookie Teacher of the Year was Juan Gabriel Martin, a music teacher at Citrus Grove K-8 Center.