Dallas ISD News: Meet the primary school candidates for Teacher of the Year 2022

- Meet the 2021-22 districtwide Primary School finalists for Teacher of the Year. The winners will be announced at the first-ever Educator of the Year awards on Tuesday, May 10.

Andretti Camper, Jose "Joe" May Elementary School
Andretti Camper, currently supporting a specialized classroom for students with autism at Jose "Joe" May Elementary, did not choose education; rather, education chose him.

Growing up around educators, Camper knew that teaching was the career that would allow him to make a lasting impact on the hearts of others. Camper began his journey as a teacher assistant, served as a long-term substitute teacher, and then realized his calling to be a teacher for students with cognitive disabilities. In his role, Camper focuses on functional and daily living skills to ensure his students are learning practical skills that transcend the classroom.

Camper is a graduate of William Carey University where he received a Bachelor of Science in English and Biology. As a lifelong learner, Camper is currently completing the final semester of graduate coursework at Texas Tech University where he will receive a Master of Education in special education and autism spectrum disorders. As a Dallas ISD Specialized Programs Model Teacher, Camper's ultimate motivation is to advocate for all learners and to be a voice for those who are often not heard.

Kristina Chandler, Jimmie Tyler Brashear Elementary School
Kristina Chandler, a fifth-grade math teacher at Jimmie Tyler Brashear Elementary School, began her career in education in January 2009 as a substitute before becoming a full-time teacher. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Texas at Dallas and a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of North Texas at Dallas.

Chandler serves as Brashear's first-ever fifth grade debate team coach and as an advisor to the students in the National Elementary Honor Society. An active member of the Friday Club and Multicultural Committees, Chandler also enjoys training peers and community members. Chandler's goal is to effectively lead by example with integrity and professionalism, because she believes that conducting oneself with authenticity and integrity will allow all necessary attributes to fall into place.

It is her mission to promote the importance of academic success for all students, build long-lasting relationships, and embrace and celebrate diversity throughout the community. Chandler believes serving as an educator is an honor and a privilege, and, with guidance, integrity, and compassion, she will continue to mentor young people as they achieve long-lasting success.

Noemi Arnal Villalba, L.L. Hotchkiss Elementary School
Noemi Arnal Villalba teaches third-grade math and science at L. L. Hotchkiss Elementary School. Prior to her current role, Arnal Villalba taught at the Cesar Chavez Learning Center and at several schools in Barcelona, Spain.

Arnal Villalba is a proud Distinguished Teacher and teacher leader on her campus, and she holds a Master Teacher designation on her Texas Educator Certificate as recognized by the State Board for Education Certification. She was a member of the training team for the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and she presented at the National Parent Teacher Home Visit Gathering in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Arnal Villalba graduated from Pompeu Fabra University at Barcelona with a Bachelor of Arts in Translation and Interpreting where she also earned Master's degrees in Translation and Interpreting, Linguistics, and Teaching of Compulsory Secondary Education as well as a Baccalaureate in Professional Training and the Teaching of Languages.

Wildrem Andrade Matamoros, Louise Wolff Kahn Elementary
Born in Honduras, Wildrem Andrade Matamoros moved to Dallas at the age of nine and was enrolled at Louise Wolff Kahn Elementary in Dallas ISD. Eleven years later, she would return to that same school, this time as a first-year bilingual teacher.

Throughout her youth, Andrade Matamoros credits the teachers she met along the way who inspired her to set and reach important life goals. Andrade Matamoros became the first in her family to graduate from high school in 2008, and she didn't stop there. In 2013, Andrade Matamoros graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in early childhood development and returned home to Dallas to become a teacher at L. W. Kahn Elementary.

She soon found her true passion in teaching literacy to bilingual and newcomer students with whom she shares similar backgrounds and experiences and in 2014, Andrade Matamoros began a new assignment as a fifth-grade bilingual reading teacher, where she has remained for the past eight years.

Andrade Matamoros has been a leader in initiating and implementing impactful writing and social-emotional strategies on her campus while also serving as the campus activity coordinator and coach for academic teams. Her dream, when she was five years old, was to be an "orgullo hispano", someone Hispanic people could look up to. She is grateful for the opportunity to teach in Dallas ISD and to work in the community where she grew up.

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