Sixth grader DeAngelo Moreno doesn’t hesitate to brag about what makes his mom a great teacher.
She’s smart. She teaches dual-language classes at J.L. Long Middle School where her students learn about the world — in English and Spanish — through music, poetry, art and cuisine.
She’s passionate. She encourages students to reach for advanced classes and constantly reminds them that college is a reality.
She’s dedicated. She often stays at school well into the night helping students or mentoring other teachers.
“She just really cares,” DeAngelo said.
Now the rest of the country also knows that Susan Moreno is among the nation’s best teachers. The 34-year-old was honored Thursday in a surprise ceremony announcing that she will receive a $25,000 prize from the Milken Family Foundation.
Moreno is among 40 educators across the nation — and the only one from Texas — recognized this year for the award, which has been dubbed the “Oscars for teaching.”
Staff and students at Long were unaware of the big check to come as they filed into the auditorium amid a drumline fanfare for what they thought would be an assembly with Texas education commissioner Mike Morath, local lawmakers and DISD officials.
After her name was called, Moreno held onto DeAngelo’s hand on stage as she let the tears flow and listened to colleagues praise her for a job well done.
Sure everyone daydreams about being surprised with big bucks and recognition, Moreno said, but that’s not what drives teachers. They do it for their kids, she said.
“To be able to actually receive it is a whole other world,” she said. “I’m still shaking.”
The best athletes receive an MVP award, while entertainers receive Emmys or music awards. And scientists can aim for a Nobel Prize, said Jane Foley, a senior vice president for the foundation. The foundation wanted a similar honor to reward the teachers for their lasting impact and to encourage students to consider education as a career field, she said.
The Milken foundation gave its first honor in 1987 and has since honored more than 2,700 educators nationwide, awarding about $70 million total.
Moreno, who came to Dallas from Arkansas about six years ago, planned on a career in the medical field, but she fell in love with teaching and the way education allows her to help others.
She was raised by a single mother who didn’t have the resources to help her with college. After successfully earning her degree, Moreno said she’s on a mission to help as many students as she can go to college.
“They need to have those teachers at school who are going to push them,” Moreno said. “If they see that someone believes in them, they know they can achieve.”
Moreno, a Spanish teacher, expects to use the money to pay off some lingering student debt. But she knows — inevitably — she’ll find a way to spend some on her students, too.
But more than that, she said she hopes the fanfare will inspire students and other teachers.
Moreno is invited to attend Milken’s education forum in March in Indiana where the other winners this year will gather. Previous winners were on hand to celebrate Moreno joining the “Milken family,” including fellow DISD teacher Rogelio Garcia.
Garcia, who teaches at Adelfa Botello Callejo Elementary School, said he’s had many opportunities to help others since he received the award in 2010. He even traveled to Australia to work with a school that was struggling academically.
“It really makes you more aware of the wide impact that you can have,” Garcia said.
