Socorro Independent School District

Socorro ISD K-9 Officer Edward Delgado and his canine partner, Uma, work diligently to keep Team SISD students, parents, employees and community members safe. On a daily basis, Officer Delgado and Uma, a Belgian Malinois, enforce security protocols to ensure SISD campuses are safe and supportive learning environments. The crime-fighting duo conduct investigations, locate and arrest perpetrators, and enforce state and local laws against narcotics.

Officer Delgado and Uma’s safety efforts gained national recognition when they won the 2018 National Narcotic Detector Dog Association Competition (NNDDA) in May 2018. The NNDDA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the utilization and proficiency of scent detector dogs for the benefit of law enforcement and private industry. Officer Delgado and Uma won first place out of more than 93 drug-sniffing dogs who participated in the contest. The patrol team had three minutes to locate 15 substances throughout a gymnasium, and were judged by five experts who analyze how well the handlers can read their canines when they alert him or her of narcotic odors.

Officer Delgado has served the SISD community since 2007. Uma has been with the district since 2015. Both remain committed to the well-being of all students and staff, and keeping Team SISD and the entire community safe.

Michael Saenz, an educator in the SISD Community Education department, is providing learning opportunities for students of all ages. For 15 years, Saenz has made a major impact in the SISD community by helping adult students learn skills, such as reading, writing, speaking English, earning their high school equivalency diploma, and transitioning on to college.

Saenz gained recognition at the state level when he won the 2018 Texas Association of Literacy and Adult Education (TALAE) Teacher of the Year Award for his outstanding work to serve adult education students. The community education instructor was selected from a large pool of applicants across 35 adult education programs in Texas. The 2018 Teacher of the Year will continue to empower adult learners to reach academic success.

Throughout his prolific career, Saenz has helped foreign doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals to perfect their English, and become certified professionals in the United States. His passion for education also led him to become a lead instructor who mentors adult educators so they can improve their instruction and better serve their students. He continues his dedication to assist adult students in reaching their goals and improving their lives through education.

Cristina Nuñez, counselor at Paso del Norte School, is a champion for students. She contributes to the overall well-being of students by helping them achieve academic success, guiding them to discover their potential for college and career pathways, and attending to their social/emotional needs.

Her outstanding positive impact as a counselor was recognized at the national level when she was selected as one of the six finalists for the 2017-18 National School Counselor of the Year Award by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Before that she proudly represented Team SISD, the El Paso region, and the state of Texas as the 2017-18 Texas School Counselor of the Year, which was awarded to her by the Lone Star State School Counselor Association. The national and state awards honor school counseling professionals who devote their careers to serving as advocates for students, helping them achieve success in school and in life.

Nuñez has 15 years of experience in education. She strives to be an advocate for students and other counselors, as well, to ensure that the best guidance, training, and policies are in place to support student achievement through the realm of counseling. She remains dedicated to treating and educating all students as her own children and is grateful to serve as a school counselor to provide students, teachers and families guidance and support.

El Dorado High School art teacher Candace Printz developed and set into motion an innovative community project to collect trash and recyclables in the El Paso area and turn the waste into beautiful art for the entire community to enjoy. Her ongoing collaborative project involves students, school staff, community members, volunteers, non-profits, business and organizations in the El Paso, Las Cruces and Juarez communities. The artwork will be available for sale and the funds will be donated to local charities.

Her vision to turn trash into art to beautify the El Dorado, El Paso and entire West Texas region won her the ultimate prize in the national Barnes & Noble Get Going Day community project contest. She was selected among hundreds of entries across the country and earned El Dorado High School a visit from former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, who was involved in the contest with her motivational book “It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!”

Printz has been a longtime educator inspiring numerous students to create amazing artwork, learn from real-world experiences, and learn how to make a difference in their world. She was selected as a 2011 SISD Teacher of the Year Elite 8 Finalist and a 2016 semi-finalist in the HEB Excellence in Education awards. She continues to ensure every child succeeds at El Dorado High School and in Team SISD.