Ysleta Pre-K honors special education teacher with “Cottman Kindness” Day

Blanca Cottman worked with special education students for over 30 years in different cities but spent her last 4 years as a special education teacher at Ysleta Pre-K in El Paso.

Cottman passed away in December of last year after losing her 2-year battle with breast cancer, but her memory is being kept alive at the school.

Family, friends and co-workers celebrated her life on what what would have been her 60th birthday Wednesday afternoon by filling the school auditorium with pink and purple balloons, and wearing purple shirts with the phrase “Cottman Kindness” on them. The phrase is a reminder of one of Blanca’s strongest qualities, being kind to anyone who crossed her path.

Today, a plaque with her picture hangs outside of her old classroom in her memory. A “meditation” bench was also placed outside the school, and by spring time the school will plant a tree near the bench.

Ysleta Pre-K Principle, Sandra Perez, told ABC-7 that the school plans on honoring Cottman every February 28th by making it known as “Cottman Kindness” day at Ysleta Pre-K.