Texas Border Business
MISSION, Texas – Teach For America Rio Grande Valley (TFA RGV) will celebrate 35 years of impact at its annual Honor Roll Gala on March 28, 2026, recognizing visionary leaders and partners who have helped expand educational opportunity for students across the Rio Grande Valley.
Now in its eighth year, the Honor Roll Gala brings together community leaders, educators, and advocates to celebrate the partnerships and people working to transform education in the region. This year’s event is especially significant as Teach For America marks three and a half decades of collaboration and progress in the Valley.
The 2026 gala will honor Dr. Guy Bailey, founding president of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, with the Educational Champion Award, and Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District (HCISD) with the Institutional Catalyst Award. In recognition of the organization’s milestone anniversary, Teach For America RGV will also celebrate its nearly 1,600 alumni whose leadership continues to shape classrooms, schools, and communities.
“These honorees reflect the power of leadership and partnership in creating meaningful opportunities for students,” said Ana Gonzalez, Executive Director of Teach For America Rio Grande Valley. “For 35 years, educators, alumni, and community partners across the Valley have worked together to reimagine what’s possible for our students. This celebration is a tribute to that collective impact.”
2026 Honorees
Educational Champion Award Honoree: Dr. Guy Bailey
The Educational Champion Award recognizes an individual whose leadership has significantly advanced educational excellence and expanded opportunities for students through sustained commitment to schools and communities.
Institutional Catalyst Award Honoree: Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District
The Institutional Catalyst Award recognizes organizations that demonstrate collective leadership in advancing educational excellence and opportunity for students through sustained partnerships with schools and communities.
“We’re proud to celebrate the changemakers shaping education in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Deborah Cordova, Chair of the Teach For America Rio Grande Valley Regional Board. “Together, we are building a future where every student has access to an excellent education.”
To view our honorees’ full bios, learn more about our event, and purchase tickets, visit www.teachforamerica.org/HonorRollGala.
