Kilgore, Texas - Region 7 Education Service Center is honored to announce that Emily Greer from Chapel Hill ISD and Sharon Garner from Whitehouse ISD have been named Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year for Region 7. Both educators will represent Region 7 as semifinalists for the 2027 Texas Teacher of the Year competition.
Emily Greer has dedicated nearly two decades to inspiring students through fine arts at Jackson Elementary in Chapel Hill ISD. She teaches music, art, and theater to students ranging from three-year-old Head Start and Pre-K through third grade, creating opportunities for young learners to explore creativity and discover talents they never knew they had.
A graduate of Hardin-Simmons University with a Bachelor of Behavioral Science in Education, Greer later earned a Master of Science in Library Science from the University of North Texas. Throughout her career, she has been recognized multiple times by her campus as Teacher of the Month and Teacher of the Year and was honored by Humanities Texas as an Outstanding Teacher of the Humanities.
Greer believes the arts open doors to new experiences and perspectives, helping students develop confidence while encouraging them to try new things and realize they are capable of more than they imagined.
"I cannot think of a better person in our district to represent our teachers, our staff, and our educators than Emily Greer," said Chapel Hill ISD Superintendent Lamond Dean. "Greer has been at Jackson Elementary for almost two decades, and the way that she pours into our children and the passion she has is phenomenal."
Sharon Garner is a high school English teacher at Whitehouse High School, and has served Whitehouse ISD for 15 years in a variety of roles supporting students, teachers, and families.
Garner earned an Associate degree from Tyler Junior College, a Bachelor of Science in Communication from The University of Texas at Tyler, and a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Lamar University. In addition to teaching, she sponsors the New Student Ambassador program, mentors new teachers, serves on numerous campus and district committees, and has qualified for the Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment.
Her philosophy centers on ensuring every student feels valued, supported, and cared for. Through reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking, Garner prepares students for life beyond high school while fostering a classroom culture where every student knows they belong.
"When you think of great teachers along students' journeys, it's not so much about what they teach, but how they make students feel when they're in their classrooms," said Whitehouse ISD Superintendent Casey Whittle. "I think Sharon really captures that. She relates to them and gets the best out of them.”
At Region 7’s Teacher of the Year Luncheon on July 14, both winners were presented with grand prizes, courtesy of Orr Cadillac GMC. The dealership donated $2,500, which was split between the Elementary and Secondary winners.
In September, Greer and Garner will compete against the other thirty-eight Regional Teachers of the Year, which are reviewed by a panel of judges at TASA Headquarters in Austin. Six finalists will be chosen, and they will be invited to Austin for personal interviews. Winners will be chosen and announced at the Texas Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony. The Texas Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year will become spokespeople for all teachers in the state of Texas. They will also serve as traveling ambassadors for public education with a demanding schedule of speeches, workshops, and presentations while continuing to teach in the classroom.
TASA is the professional association for Texas school superintendents and other administrators. The mission of the organization, which focuses on professional learning, advocacy, and member engagement, is to promote, provide and develop leaders who create and sustain student-centered schools and develop future-ready students. For more information about the program, please visit tasanet.org/awards.
Region 7 ESC is committed to district, charter, and student success by providing quality programs and services that meet or exceed customer expectations. One of 20 regional education service centers statewide, Region 7 ESC participates in the planning, development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of innovative educational programs for 94 school districts and 7 charter schools in the counties of Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Nacogdoches, Rains, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Panola, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood. For more information, visit www.esc7.net.