“It’s the teacher that makes the difference, not the classroom.” – Michael Morpurgo
Welcome to the Summie Awards!
A promotional video for The Summies 2024 highlights the spirit of these awards and the educators they honor.
Effective teachers deserve greater recognition. They are the architects of our future—shaping minds, building character, and guiding the next generation toward critical thinking and resilience. Teachers invest long hours planning lessons, differentiating instruction, and supporting students’ social and emotional growth. Their impact extends far beyond classroom walls.
Despite the vital role teachers play, their work is often misunderstood or undervalued. Teaching involves far more than delivering lessons: educators act as planners, counselors, assessment experts, and resource managers. Much of that work happens behind the scenes and is invisible to the public.
Public misconceptions—such as assumptions about excessive time off or a lack of preparation—oversimplify a demanding profession and obscure the effort required to produce strong student outcomes. Without adequate recognition and advocacy, teachers can face burnout and attrition, which jeopardizes student success. For this reason, celebrating and supporting educators, especially those serving emergent bilingual students, is essential.
Summit K12 Announces the 2024 Summie Awards Winners and Finalists
The awards ceremony took place Saturday, October 19, 2024, at the 52nd Annual Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE) conference. The Summie Awards honor outstanding achievement in bilingual education, with a special focus on supporting Emergent Bilingual students across Texas. Finalists were selected from a competitive pool including 750 districts, more than 4,000 schools, and over 100,000 Texas educators.
Districts and campuses were evaluated on TELPAS growth, consistent platform engagement, and innovative implementation strategies that demonstrated clear, measurable impact for English learners.
Image by Summit K12©
Andrea Cano, Texas Marketing Manager for Summit K12, discussed The Summie Awards, her role in the program, and advice for educators and districts preparing for future recognition.
Robyn Shulman: How would you define The Summie Awards?
Andrea Cano: The Summie Awards are Summit K12’s formal recognition program for the unsung heroes in language education. They spotlight districts, campuses, teachers, and students who demonstrate outstanding commitment to English learners and bilingual instruction.
Shulman: How does Summit K12 celebrate educators through these awards?
Cano: The awards honor excellence in areas such as implementation fidelity, sustained program usage, innovative classroom practices, and measurable TELPAS growth. Above all, The Summies are a way to thank educators—¡Bien hecho!—for their dedication and the life-changing work they do.
Image by Summit K12©
Shulman: Will the awards continue annually?
Cano: Yes. The Summie Awards will continue to be presented each year at the TABE conference, providing a statewide platform to celebrate and elevate bilingual education leaders.
Shulman: What was your role in producing the awards?
Cano: I led the project from data analysis and outreach to interviews and presentation. I coordinated interviews, presented findings to our evaluation committee, and produced video features for each winner. I also had the privilege of announcing winners during the TABE ceremony.
Image by Summit K12©
Shulman: How did The Summies start, and how have they evolved?
Cano: The awards began as an incentive to increase Summit K12 usage but have evolved into a meaningful celebration of educational excellence over four years. What started small is now a competitive recognition program that highlights the collective effort of districts, campuses, and teachers working together to improve bilingual instruction.
The award structure was intentionally designed to recognize achievement at every level—district, campus, and classroom—because effective implementation requires coordinated support from administrators, coordinators, and teachers.
“These awards are our way of saying ‘We see you’—we see the coordinators analyzing data, the administrators supporting teachers, and the educators doing the daily work that changes students’ lives.”
Shulman: Were there interviews that stood out?
Cano: Every interview was powerful. Common themes included deep personal investment and, in many cases, educators who were once English learners themselves bringing exceptional empathy and insight to their teaching. Memorable moments included a director’s joyful surprise at a nomination and principals moved to tears upon seeing their teachers recognized
Image by Summit K12©
Shulman: How did participants respond to the program and the ceremony?
Cano: Many winners were surprised and deeply grateful. Most were not focused on recognition—they implemented Summit K12 because it helped students. The ceremony was heartfelt and inspiring, and attendees left motivated to continue improving their practice. Some educators even began planning strategies to compete again next year, turning recognition into motivation for ongoing excellence.
Shulman: What criteria guided winner selection?
Cano: Selection considered multiple data points to identify those maximizing program impact. The evaluation included:
- Overall program usage and consistency
- Average minutes per week per student engagement
- Quality of implementation and innovative practices
- Demonstrated TELPAS growth
- Insights shared during nominee interviews
These metrics ensured winners reflected both quantitative progress and qualitative leadership in bilingual education.
Shulman: Will Summit K12 run the contest next year?
Cano: Yes. The Summies will continue in 2025, with winners celebrated at the TABE conference in Allen, Texas.
Shulman: How can educators prepare to be considered?
Cano: Educators should focus on full implementation, consistent usage, and measurable student growth. Key actions include:
1. Full Program Implementation • Use all three components of Connect to Literacy:
- Listening-Speaking
- Reading-Writing
- Language Foundation Skills
2. Consistent Usage Metrics • Track and maintain overall usage, average minutes per week per student, and completion of assessments across domains:
- Listening quizzes
- Speaking quizzes
- Reading quizzes
- Writing quizzes
3. Student Achievement • Demonstrated TELPAS growth
Finalists will participate in an interview to share their implementation story and the impact on students. For additional information on The Summie Awards and to hear sample interviews, search Summit K12’s official Summies resources or the Summit K12 website for the 2024 Summies materials.
Meet Andrea!
Andrea Cano is a native Texan raised in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. She is an experienced bilingual educator who earned a Master’s Degree in Bilingual Education with a focus on Gifted and Talented instruction. Andrea has served as an Emergent Bilingual program manager and currently works as the Texas Marketing Manager for Summit K12, connecting Texas schools with research-based, culturally responsive language learning solutions.
To learn more about Andrea Cano’s professional work, search for her profile on LinkedIn. To request a Summit K12 demo or learn more about program offerings, visit the Summit K12 website and contact their team for assistance.