Colorado Principal, former SBHS student, wins bilingual education award

By DAVID LOPEZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com

University Hill Elementary Principal Ina Belinda Rodriguez-Myer is receiving a prestigious award for her leadership in bilingual education.

The Colorado Association for Bilingual Education chose Rodriguez-Myer for the 2019 CABE Educational Leader of the Year. The organization seeks to recognize Colorado educators in leadership roles who are dedicated to bilingual education and or English as a Second Language.

“The most important qualification is the educator’s proven ability to inspire Emerging Bilingual students of various backgrounds to excel,” reads the letter of recognition sent to Rodriguez-Myer.

The public elementary school, located in Boulder, Colorado, teaches students in both English and Spanish, meaning even non-Latin/non-Spanish speakers learn Spanish while Spanish native speakers learn English.

Rodriguez-Myer is going on her 9th year as principal and feels honored to receive the award, noting the effort that went into providing educational excellence to students is the teamwork of her staff.

“I have such a great staff at the school, it’s not just about me, it’s about the collaboration to make this school what it is,” she said. “We work with a lot of undocumented families and immigrant families, and we do what we can to support their needs, not only academically but also socially and emotionally.”

She wished to thank her San Benito teachers as well.

“I just had a lot of great teachers in San Benito who supported me, believed in me. There was one in particular, she’s passed, but she would teach me privately and encourage me, and eventually I got a scholarship for East Texas and that’s how I got started in education. And sometimes you think the little things you do as a teacher don’t matter, but they do: that one little things can keep a child moving forward, and so I thank them,” she said.

Editor’s note: This article has been edited for length. To read the full story, click here or make sure to grab a copy at one of our various newspaper racks.