Classroom Cribs Winner: Pullam Elementary Pre-K at Brownsville ISD

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral)— In February, ValleyCentral held its Classroom Cribs poll and asked viewers to vote for their favorite school.

With five schools to choose from it was a hard choice but, the winning school came from Brownsville ISD.

Congratulations go to Mittie A. Pullam Elementary.

Keeping students engaged and focused in the classroom can be challenging, especially when the learner is 4 years old.

That’s why the Brownsville Independent School District has come up with ways to keep the littlest of students excited about learning.

ValleyCentral Photojournalist Rolando Avila took us inside the pre-K class at Pullam Elementary.

Tami Garcia's pre-K class highlights the importance of early childhood education in developing critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and creativity.

Garcia has been a teacher at Pullam for almost 15 years and takes pride in transforming students' attitudes towards school.

"I know that a lot of people will say once you say 'I want to be a teacher,' they start making faces like, 'Oh, really, that's what you want to do? You want to be a teacher?' Whenever we have, like, people from the college come and they want to be teachers, I get so excited for them, and I tell them, this is the most rewarding job," Garcia said. "I don't even feel like I'm working. I don't know why I get paid to do this, because it is such an honor, a blessing, and it's so beautiful to be able to be such a part of children's lives and make a difference. Seeing them go for 180 days with you in the classroom, seeing their growth."

Garcia added if anyone is thinking about registering their child for early childhood, to take the step.