H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards Team Announces Dr. Cole-Ochoa as Finalist for Principal Award
Elsa, Texas — February 6, 2024 — The H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards team proudly announces that Dr. Darren Cole-Ochoa, Principal at Carlos F. Truan Junior High School, has been recognized as a finalist for the prestigious Principal Award. This esteemed recognition highlights Dr. Cole-Ochoa's outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the students, staff, and community of Edcouch-Elsa ISD.
Established in 2002, the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program aims to honor exceptional public school professionals across Texas, expressing gratitude for their unwavering dedication and inspiring commitment. Through this initiative, H-E-B celebrates educators who consistently go above and beyond to serve their students and communities, setting an exemplary standard for others in the field.
The Principal Award, one of the program's highest distinctions, acknowledges principals who demonstrate excellence in several key areas:
- Leadership and Campus Culture: Dr. Cole-Ochoa has fostered a positive and inclusive campus culture at Carlos F. Truan Junior High School, where students and staff feel valued, supported, and empowered to excel. His collaborative work with creating a culture of caring at his school has been featured on EdSurge, a digital news and research magazine about education.
- Instructional Leadership and Management: Dr. Cole-Ochoa's visionary leadership and effective management have led to the implementation of innovative instructional practices and strategies that enhance student learning outcomes and academic achievement. Partnering with counselor, Mr. Gabriel Hinojosa, the campus piloted a program called Alongside, an app that provides social-emotional learning and self-help wellness tools, often administered through a school’s counseling team. The tools include modules such as journaling, activities to support improved wellness (such as breathing exercises), and an AI-powered chatbot that uses chats to go through basic exercises that promote resilience, positive social and emotional development, self-monitoring, or goal setting. Recently, Telemundo interviewed Dr. Cole-Ochoa on how the campus was using the application.
- Communication and Community Relations: Dr. Cole-Ochoa's commitment to building strong community partnerships has strengthened relationships between the school, families, and the wider community. From coordinating efforts for Clothing Drives with the campus Social Worker to partnering with the RGV Food Bank so that his students could have food for the Christmas holidays, Dr. Cole-Ochoa has been an advocate for the development of each student. His work can be seen on Twitter/X at: @dcole_CFTJHS
Dr. Darren Cole-Ochoa's selection as a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards Principal Award is a testament to his exceptional leadership, passion for education, and profound impact on the lives of students and educators within Edcouch-Elsa ISD.
"We are immensely proud of Dr. Cole-Ochoa's well-deserved recognition as a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards Principal Award," said Dr. Alda T. Benavides, Superintendent of Edcouch-Elsa ISD. "His exemplary leadership, dedication, and commitment to fostering excellence in education inspire us all. Dr. Cole-Ochoa truly embodies the spirit of educational excellence, and we congratulate him on this prestigious achievement."
The Edcouch-Elsa ISD community extends its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Darren Cole-Ochoa on this significant accomplishment and wishes him continued success in his educational endeavors.