Two El Paso educators have been named finalists for the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education

H-E-B announced that 10 North Texas educators are finalists for the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards, which awards cash prizes to educators who go the extra mile to serve their students and their communities. Teachers, counselors and principals received the news from H-E-B representatives during surprise visits to the schools this week. 

The two finalists are Dr. Melissa Saenz who is a principle from Montwood Middle School of the Socorro Independent School District. Seanz won one-thousand dollars.

Alejandro De La Pena, from the Parkland Pre-Engineering Middle School, of the Ysleta Independent School District also won one-thousand dollars.