Las Cruces Public Schools names 2026 top educators
Las Cruces Public Schools named its 2026 Teachers and Educational Support Staff of the Year during an April 25 ceremony, recognizing outstanding educators across the district.
Kindergarten teacher Nancy Orta earns district’s Teacher of the Year honor
Organ Mountain News report
LAS CRUCES - Las Cruces Public Schools and the LCPS Foundation recognized the district’s top educators of 2026 during the annual Celebration of Excellence event, held April 25 at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.
Nancy Orta, a kindergarten teacher at East Picacho Elementary School, was named Teacher of the Year. Elizabeth Saenz, a bilingual educational assistant at Centennial High School, was recognized as Educational Support Personnel of the Year. Diane Barela, principal at Mesilla Park Community Elementary, was named Principal of the Year.
Finalists in each category were selected from a group of semifinalists nominated at the campus level. Each finalist received a $500 cash prize, and the winners in each category were awarded $1,000.
Teacher of the Year finalists also included Kimberly Kaime of Picacho Middle School and Shawn Silva of Organ Mountain High School. Support personnel finalists were Sylvia Laborin of Zia Middle School and Alvaro Rivera-Parra of the LCPS Physical Plant Department. Principal finalists included Cherie Love of Doña Ana Elementary and Yong Vega of Sierra Middle School.
The Teacher of the Year award is sponsored by First Light Federal Credit Union. Campos School Portraits and Century Bank sponsored the support personnel and principal awards, respectively.
Throughout the 2026–27 school year, the three honorees will represent Las Cruces Public Schools at events across the district, including the State of the District address. Orta will also advance to state-level consideration for New Mexico Teacher of the Year — a program administered by the New Mexico Public Education Department that recognizes outstanding educators across the state.