Governor presents proclamation honoring Alisa Cooper de Uribe as New Mexico Teacher of the Year.
2021 New Mexico Teacher of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nora Meyers Sackett – Press Secretary, Office of the Governor
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday visited the classroom of Alisa Cooper de Uribe, the 2021 New Mexico Teacher of the Year, at the New Mexico International School in Albuquerque.
After meeting with students, the governor presented Ms. Cooper de Uribe with an official proclamation declaring May 24 “Alisa Cooper de Uribe Day” in the state of New Mexico. The proclamation is attached.
The Teacher of the Year program celebrates the talent and commitment of extraordinary educators in New Mexico.
“Educators give so much of themselves to their students,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “And over this last year they’ve given even more. I’m honored to have the chance to meet with Alisa and to honor her – and by extension honor each of the incredible New Mexico educators who have gone above and beyond for their students and their school communities during the pandemic.”
Cooper de Uribe, a native of Raton, is a first-grade bilingual education educator. She has taught for 12 years and has helped develop the International School’s baccalaureate program of inquiry for Spanish immersion.
The New Mexico Teacher of the Year program dates to 1963. Each of New Mexico’s school districts and state charter schools are invited annually to nominate outstanding educators for the honor.
From the New Mexico Public Education Department
Alisa Cooper de Uribe is a nine-year veteran, first grade Spanish immersion teacher who fosters international mindedness through multiple language learning. Growing up in New Mexico, she yearned to communicate in more than one language to honor the rich, multilingual traditions of her state. International travel, coupled with degrees in English and Spanish, opened the door to professional opportunities from opera to immigration.
The connections among multilingualism, cultural responsiveness, and workplace excellence were poignantly evident, and when her daughter was born with dual citizenship, multilingual education became a personal and professional priority. To provide this opportunity to others, Cooper de Uribe has taught first grade at New Mexico International School since 2012. Her classroom follows the 90/10 model of language immersion.
Having learned Spanish as an adult, she understands the importance of teaching bilingualism during childhood. She plays a key role in developing an International Baccalaureate Programme of Inquiry, and her transdisciplinary classroom culture emphasizes lifelong learning by elevating student voice and connecting lines of inquiry with community circles beyond the classroom walls.
With school leadership, Cooper de Uribe co-designed a professional development module for the national dual language conference, La Cosecha, highlighting connections between social-emotional and second-language learning. Her combined participation in her school’s advisory committee, pedagogical leadership team, and equity council supports a school community that highlights collaborative partnerships and caring open-mindedness. Cooper de Uribe holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Abilene Christian University and a Master of Arts in Spanish from Middlebury College.
Alisa can be reached at Alisa.NMTOY@state.nm.us