BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — Broward County will announce its Teacher of the Year this week, selecting from five finalists who work with students of all ages and needs across the district.
One of them is Denise Moore, known to her students as “Mama Moore.” She is a literacy coach and classroom support specialist at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Lauderhill. Moore says her calling is helping children grow in a safe and supportive environment, with a focus on building resilience.
“Teaching means building leaders, not just for today, but for the future,” Moore said. “And so that has always been my passion. It’s always something I wanted to be since I was a little girl, making my cousins, forcing them to be teachers. It’s just a dream and I’m living in my dream.”
At Orange Brook Elementary School in Hollywood, finalist Mabel Colon uses positive reinforcement to connect with students. A teacher for more than 20 years, Colon now serves as an exceptional student education support facilitator. She volunteered to work with pre-K through fifth-grade students who need extra support.
“Oftentimes, they are very much underrepresented, and they need strong individuals to advocate for them, for their families, their parents, their community,” Colon said. “So I saw a need to help those students who I felt would benefit from the knowledge I’ve developed over the years and I absolutely adore them because I think they have the greatest potential.”
At Plantation High School, Dr. Saima Sanaullah focuses on building confidence in the classroom. A teacher for 14 years and the school’s science department head, she knows science can intimidate students and uses hands-on lessons to make learning more approachable.
“Learning is the process that changes lives and I wanted to choose a career that can have a lasting impact on students,” Sanaullah said. “So just being part of their journey and seeing them grow and being confident and turning into adults to be confident and valuable citizens, that’s why I’m here.”
Illona Tinerino-Allen, a first-grade teacher at Pasadena Lakes Elementary School in Pembroke Pines, is known for her calm, focused classroom. She has spent the past 18 years teaching first graders and says her students are always her top priority.
“It is all about the kids,” Tinerino-Allen said. “All about the kids. This is a family to me. This is my second home. When I leave here, I go home and plan more for the next day.”
Another finalist, Fatima De Leon, teaches science at Rickards Middle School in Oakland Park -- the same school she attended as a child. While construction continues on a new campus, De Leon teaches in a temporary classroom without a science lab. She says creativity helps bridge the gap.
“Something I like to bring into the classroom is some hands on activity,” De Leon said. “Maybe having them build DNA out of candy. Build cell cycles out of gummy worms.”
Broward County is expected to announce its Teacher of the Year on Friday.
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