Her kindergarteners chanted her name: Desirée Garcia is Massachusetts Teacher of the Year

The assembly at Gerena Community School in Springfield was supposed to be a surprise — a couple of hundred students chanting one name gave it away. Desirée Garcia, a kindergarten teacher of 11 years in the school's dual-language programme, has been named the 2027 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, in a ceremony joined by Governor Maura Healey. 'In our community, bilingualism is not simply an academic goal — it is a part of who we are,' Garcia said. 'Our dual language program tells children that the language they speak at home matters.' Springfield is home to at least 4,500 English-learner students, 17% of the district. The state education commissioner said Garcia logged one of the highest ratings the award committee has ever given.

SDG 4 · Quality education — Mechanism: individual leader