Taylor High School English teacher and legendary Academic Decathlon coach Vicki Rowe has been named a finalist for the 2022 H-E-B Excellence Award.
She was surprised with a check for $1,000 by H-E-B representatives that included H-E-Buddy, district leadership, campus staff and her students.
“How do I share with the community of Taylor how much I love them and how honored I am to have been their children’s teacher, and how much I have loved teaching and nurturing my scholars,” said Rowe. “I am forever grateful to Mr. Sutton for hiring me and for all of the support, right down to Mr. Maddox’s letters of recommendation that have now made me a finalist for this prestigious award twice, and our board of trustees. What can I say that delivers my message of gratitude for all of their support through the years?”
Known for the support and encouragement she provides for each of her students, Rowe’s dedication is apparent in the Professor Wannabe Trelawny character she created for virtual lessons during 2020, and the word of the day presented on YouTube by her dog, Tessa, keeping students engaged and thriving even in challenging times.
For Rowe, the reason she goes the extra mile is clear.
“It is the scholars of Taylor who have given me purpose to get up in the morning with a smile on my face because I know that I might catch the excitement of their delight when they have learned something new,” said Rowe.
Created in 2002, the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards are designed to honor outstanding public school professionals and to thank them for their dedication and commitment. Through this program, H-E-B seeks to pay tribute to those educators who go the extra mile each and every day to serve their students and their communities and who inspire others to do the same.
“It is said that long after a student forgets what they learned, they will always remember the way we made them feel about school,” said Taylor Independent School District Superintendent Devin Padavil. “We are fortunate that Ms. Rowe is a master at being an incredibly sharp instructor and someone that builds meaningful relationships with kids. She makes everyone feel important and demonstrates compassion, patience, and high standards for all her students. Taylor ISD is incredibly lucky to have her.”
Rowe is one of five finalists in her category. She will compete with four other teachers for $25,000 for herself and $25,000 for her school.
“We could not be more proud of this recognition and wish Mrs. Rowe the best moving forward in this education award,” said Taylor High School Principal Andrew Maddox. “Well Done Mrs. Rowe.”
