Known around the Infinity Early College High School (IECHS) campus for her warm smile and deep care for her students, New Caney ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, Nancy Castaneda, inspires students to believe in themselves while equipping them with the skills necessary to face challenges head on. Ms. Castaneda is described as passionate and encouraging, connecting classroom lessons to real-world situations, and allowing students to understand the value and purpose behind what they are learning.
Last year marked Ms. Castaneda’s tenth year in education, having previously served as a paraprofessional at New Caney Elementary, an elementary teacher at New Caney Elementary and Brookwood Forest Elementary, and now an English teacher and Texas Association of Future Educators sponsor at IECHS. Although Ms. Castaneda began her career at New Caney Elementary ten years ago, her connection to New Caney ISD runs deep. A New Caney High School graduate, she has been part of the district since Pre-K and now has the opportunity to work under her former eighth-grade English teacher, IECHS Principal Erica Sykes.
“[My experience in the district] has been helpful, especially at Infinity,” Castaneda said. “When I came here, it was a healing moment because these kids are just like me. When we talk about things we’ve been through, they say, ‘Oh, that’s what my life is like.’ It’s been very easy to connect and build relationships in that aspect.”
After graduating from New Caney High School, Ms. Castaneda attended Lone Star College Kingwood while working as a paraprofessional at New Caney Elementary. While she did not initially plan on becoming a teacher, her experience at NCE, coupled with the teaching program offered at Lone Star College through a partnership with University of Houston-Downtown, solidified her decision to pursue a career in education.
“When I became a paraprofessional and started working at New Caney Elementary, I started with kindergarten and it was so much fun,” Castaneda said. “It was awesome to see how the kids would interact with you. That experience made me think ‘I can do this. I think I can be a good teacher.’ I fell in love and thought, ‘Okay, this is what I'm meant to do.”
Across all grade levels, building relationships with students is Ms. Castaneda’s favorite part of teaching. Throughout her career, she has been able to relate to students with similar backgrounds, often discovering personal connections through their parents or her own family ties in the community. More often, however, she is able to connect with students through their shared experiences. It’s in these experiences that Ms. Castaneda finds opportunities to offer her perspective and support when they face challenges.
“Recently, I had a conversation with a student who was disappointed in herself because she had to continue her education at Lone Star,” Castaneda said. “I told her that everybody starts somewhere, that we all have a different hand of cards that we were dealt, and it's what we do with that that is going to make the biggest impact. I like to remind students that they should always remember where they come from, but that they are in charge of creating their own path.”
According to Ms. Sykes, it is Ms. Castaneda’s ability to build these relationships that makes her stand out as the Secondary Teacher of the Year.
“Ms. Castaneda exemplifies the very best of what it means to be an educator,” Sykes said. “She is kind, caring, and deeply compassionate, always putting her students’ well-being at the forefront of everything she does. What truly sets her apart is her ability to build positive, genuine relationships with each of her students. She builds relationships rooted in trust, mutual respect, and empathy. Her classroom is a safe and welcoming space where students feel seen, heard, and valued. Through her unwavering support and dedication, Ms. Castaneda not only teaches content, but also touches hearts and changes lives.”
For Ms. Castaneda, sharing her Teacher of the Year win with her family was a full circle moment.
“It was a great feeling knowing that I had been selected amongst the very best,” Castaneda said. “It was very touching to see my family there because I would not be able to accomplish any of this without them.”