Gay Lynn Pierce, Christopher Ceaser selected as Aldine ISD’s top teachers

Gay Lynn Pierce was named Aldine ISD’s Elementary/Intermediate Teacher of the Year, while Christopher Ceaser was named the district’s Secondary Teacher of the Year during AISD’s annual Teacher of the Year Breakfast held Friday, March 20 at the Hyatt North Houston Hotel.


Christopher Ceaser and Gay Lynn Pierce stand with Terry Williams (center) as they show off their $5,000 checks from the Aldine Education Foundation. Williams is regional vice president of H-E-B. He also serves as co-president of the district’s foundation.

Christopher Ceaser and Gay Lynn Pierce stand with Terry Williams (center) as they show off their $5,000 checks from the Aldine Education Foundation. Williams is regional vice president of H-E-B. He also serves as co-president of the district’s foundation.


Pierce is a deaf education teacher at de Santiago EC/Pre-K Center. She has 27 years of teaching experience. Ceaser is a physical education teacher and basketball coach at Nimitz Ninth Grade School. Ceaser has nine years of teaching experience.

The other four district finalists were Tiffany Grant-Scott of Marcella Intermediate School, Mark Faulkner of Odom Elementary School, Jabari Collins of Carver High School and Ronshon Jeffery of Victory Early College High School.

Pierce said she is committed to her job and believes it is her duty to prepare her special students for a bright and promising future.

“It is easy to see that I am shaping the person each of my students will become,” she said. “I strive to find ways for the children I encounter to be everything they can be. I will continue that as long as I can.”

Ceaser strives to inspire his students on a daily basis.

“Before I educate my students, I must elevate my students,” he said. “Whether in battle, football or other team-strategizing moments, we look to get a better vantage point to obtain victory.”

In addition to being honored by a number of North Houston/Greenpoint area businesses who generously donated gifts to the two winners, the four finalists and all campus teachers of the year, the Aldine Education Foundation (AEF) provide checks to honor the two winners and the four finalists. Sixty-nine campus teachers of the year also received $200 apiece from AEF.

Pierce and Ceaser each received a $5,000 check from AEF, while the four finalists each received a $1,000 from the Foundation.

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Pierce and Ceaser also each received two first-class, round trip tickets from United Airlines to travel to any destination with the 48 contiguous United States, Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean. The two also received $200 each from InvesTex Credit Union, a weekend night’s stay for two with breakfast at the DoubleTree Houston Intercontinental Hotel, $100 gift cards from Greenspoint Mall, $100 gift cards from Dahill, a gift bag from the Houston Rockets that included a James Harden Bobble-head action figure, four field box seats to an upcoming Houston Astros game, and each received a Chromebook from Aldine ISD Virtual Schools.

The four finalists each received a $50 gift card from Greenspoint Mall, a gift card from the DoubleTree Houston Intercontinental Airport Hotel, a $100 gift card from Dahill, a gift bag with goodies from the Rockets and four field box tickets to an upcoming Houston Astros game.

All campus teachers of the year received an insulated lunch box, jump drives, mugs and pens from the East Aldine District, and an insulated lunch bag from Magoo’s Print Shop.

Prior to the announcement of the two winners, each campus teacher of the year was escorted into the ball room by their principal as an introduction was read about them by Human Resources Director Raul Fonseca. Additionally, a video profiling the six finalists was played. The video was produced by Alyssa Duty, the district’s multimedia communications specialist.

Teacher Of The Year – 2015 from Aldine ISD on Vimeo.

David Villareal, the district’s director of professional standards, served as the chairman of the Teacher of the Year Committee. The committee consisted of Dr. Robin Williams from Human Resources, Dr. Keena Bradley who represented the Central Office, Tina Perry, the 2014 Elementary/Intermediate Teacher of the Year, Dr. Emily Bartley, the 2014 Secondary Teacher of the Year, Christina Egbuna, who represented the MacArthur Vertical, David Kitchel, who represented the Eisenhower Vertical, Cynthia Knowles, who represented the Davis Vertical and Karem Maldonado, who represented the Aldine community.