David Estrada was chosen as Boone Elementary's 2022-23 Teacher of the Year as he completed his first year as its music teacher. His approach to the classroom focuses on designing innovative activities that focus on combining music with movement. Being a first-year teacher didn’t stop Estrada from jumping in and developing the school’s first-ever musical performance that debuted last spring. In just one year, this new educator has already made an impact.
“One thing that I have learned, is that the title of a first-year teacher should not be used as a crutch. Everybody is willing to help if you ask for it,” Estrada said. “The environment we create is based on our actions for both students and teachers.”
When Boone Principal Amanda Reyes interviewed Estrada, she was so impressed by his knowledge and skills that she hired him before he drove out of the parking garage. Reyes said that one of Estrada’s standout abilities is how he simply instills a love of learning in each and every student. “For Mr. Estrada, teaching students how to be positive human beings is a huge goal of his,” Reyes said.
When asked what impact he hopes to make as an educator, Estrada had this to say. “One thing I want to teach students is acceptance and empathy. We can put ourselves in other peoples’ shoes, take five seconds to think about somebody else's life, and think about how our actions and words can impact them.”
Congratulations to David Estrada for being named the 2022-23 Boone Teacher of the Year.