El Paso ISD -

Belenice Godinez

What inspired you to get the National Board Certification?

What inspired me to pursue my National Board Certification was my desire to challenge myself and grow as an educator. I wanted to go through a rigorous process that truly reflected my hard work, dedication, and teaching practice. The journey pushed me to reflect deeply on my teaching and allowed me to showcase the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years.

What is your favorite song?

When You Were Young by The Killers

What inspired you to become a teacher?

I have always enjoyed helping others and sharing what I know. Becoming a teacher felt like a natural path for me. While I always had an interest in teaching, it was my high school art teacher who truly inspired me. She made a lasting impact on my life and showed me how powerful and meaningful teaching could be. I wanted to become an art teacher like her and provide my students with the same inspiration and positive influence she gave me.

Where is your favorite place to eat in El Paso?

L and J Cafe

Any hobbies?

Baking, watching movies, family adventures, and collecting plants

Any fun facts about you that you want to share?

I love adding new plants to my collection, and I have a monstera plant that is six years old.

Elizabeth Chavez

What inspired you to get the National Board Certification?

I pursued the National Board Certification because I wanted to deepen my practice and ensure I was providing the very best support for students and teachers. The process challenged me to reflect, refine, and grow in ways that directly impact learning. It was also important to me to model continuous improvement and show that professional excellence is something we intentionally work toward.

What is your favorite song?

I don’t have just one, but one of my favorites is "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey:. It’s the kind of song that always puts me in a good mood and is perfect for resetting during a busy day.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

I became a teacher because I believe in the power of education to change lives. I’ve always been passionate about helping students feel seen, capable, and confident. Over time, that passion expanded to supporting teachers as well- helping them thrive so their students can, too.

Where is your favorite place to eat in El Paso?

One of my favorite places to eat in El Paso is Sunny's Sushi-- The food, the atmosphere, and the local feel always make it a great choice.

Any hobbies?

I enjoy spending my free time “reading, social media, traveling, and crafting (Cricut designs)--Anything that helps me unwind and stay inspired outside of work is a win.

Any fun facts about you that you want to share?

A fun fact about me is that I love all things Disney. Taking my boys to Disneyland, Disney Cruises, or Disneyworld is our groove at this time. We are in our Disney Era!

Juan Villarreal

What inspired you to get the National Board Certification?

I was exploring ways in which I could improve as a teacher. I considered getting a second masters degree or even a doctorate in education, but I never decided to start. I read the email from the district that they sent a couple of years ago about becoming part of a cohort for the national board certification. I attended the informational meeting and read more about the certification and the process on my own. At the end I decided that it would be a great opportunity to grow as a teacher and that I had what it takes to be able to complete the process.

What is your favorite song?

System of a Down - Aerials

What inspired you to become a teacher?

It is a long story, but I will try to give the short(er) version. I know many current teachers were inspired by teachers they had during their childhood; I am not one of those teachers. I don't want to say I always had bad teachers, but I can't think of an exceptional teacher that made me want to become one.

For the longest time, when I was young, I was planning to become an engineer. I was always very good at math; it just made sense. All the adults in my life told me that I should become an engineer. Then, during my last year of high school something happened. My calculus teacher would give us a review before every exam, and we were required to turn in the review completed to be able to take the exam. Before the first exam, a friend, who knew I was good at math, asked me if we could get together to complete the review. My friend had a whiteboard at his home that we used. It was me and three friends. While we were working on the review, it was mostly I who knew how to complete the problems. The session turned into me explaining how to solve the problems, which I didn't mind. I actually enjoyed that experience and it felt good to help my friends.

The next time we had an exam, my friend asked again if we could get together, but this time he asked if he could bring more people. Now there were eight of us, and from the beginning I went to the board and explained the problems. This kept happening after every exam, and every time there were more people. The biggest group that I "taught" was around 30. Most of them were not even my friends, just classmates.

I found that experience very enjoyable. I discovered that I really liked explaining math to other people, and that I could do it in a way that people would understand it. But what truly made me definitely decide to become a teacher was the feedback and appreciation I received from my peers. Many of my classmates were very grateful, some expressing that they understood me better than the teacher, a couple told me that they passed calculus thanks to me. That felt amazing and I decided that this is what I wanted to do. Some of my friends told me that I should have charged people for these tutoring sessions, and that I could have made a good amount of money. I didn't care about the money, I was truly enjoying what I was doing.

Where if your favorite place to eat in El Paso?

It varies, but recently I've been into Texas style barbecue, and the best one I've found here is Desert Oaks.

Any hobbies?

Reading. I also enjoy running and participating in races. I enjoy learning and studying things, specially languages.

Any fun facts about you that you want to share?

I speak 6 languages (Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, Esperanto, ASL). I might be the only Esperanto speaker in El Paso.

I have completed 30 half marathon races (13.1 miles), 12 full marathons (26.2 miles), and 2 trail ultra marathons (30+ miles).

Lana Arreola

What inspired you to get the National Board Certification?

I enjoy the opportunity to challenge myself and my students. I recognized that the process of becoming board certified would introduce a new level of insight and heightened expectations which could only lead to a mutually beneficial outcome for my own experience, my current, and future students.

What is your favorite song?

Starting Over by Chris Stapleton

What inspired you to become a teacher?

My inspiration to become a teacher comes from my own childhood experiences with hardship and the guidance I received from a school counselor during that time. Her support showed me how meaningful and lasting an educator’s influence can be. I want to be that positive presence for students — someone who supports not only their academic growth, but their well-being and confidence as well.

Where if your favorite place to eat in El Paso?

Buon Giorno Caffe

Any hobbies?

I love reading, puzzles, video games, and strategy board games.

Any fun facts about you that you want to share?

I have never been to a concert!!