Right before classes disbanded for Thanksgiving break, El Paso High School officially announced its 2025 Teacher of the Year, science teacher Alonzo Vega.  In his over 20 years at El Paso High, Mr. Vega has mentored and guided a wide range of students to success.  

For Mr. Vega, recognition from students and colleagues is deeply meaningful.  

“Everyone always asks me, ‘When are you going to retire?’” He joked. “But when my fellow teachers found out I got the award, they said, ‘It’s about time.’ That was a great feeling.”  

Despite the teasing, his passion for teaching remains strong. 

His connection to the school goes back even further.  

“This is  the school. I graduated from here in 1973. I am a proud tiger, my parents graduated from here back in the 1950s and I even met my wife here too,” Mr. Vega said. 

What he enjoys most about his job is simple, the students. Mr. Vega loves performing labs and experiments, but what matters most to him is connecting with students and inspiring them through their challenges.  

“Even the tough days are good,” he said. “My main job is to inspire. When former students come back and tell me something I said helped them through a hard time, that makes my whole day.”  

The journey hasn’t always been easy. Surprisingly, one of the hardest lessons he’s learned in his long career is patience.  

“In the beginning, I was really strict. Everything bothered me,” he said. “But in the past few years, I’ve learned to relax and truly enjoy my job. I think I finally figured it out.” 

To Mr. Vega, a teacher is someone who is compassionate and inspiring. He believes educators sometimes get lost in the pressure to meet academic goals and forget their deeper purpose.  

“We need to inspire our students not just to become rich or successful, but to lead, to grow, and to raise children who will achieve even more,” he said. 

Mr. Vega has achieved this, most notably in the way he makes learning fun for students. 

“I remember having such a hard time overall trying to enjoy school, let alone science of any sort. Yet Mr. Vega made it bearable to get through the day,” junior Melissa Rodriguez said.  

One of the most important things he has learned from his students is hope. 

 “The future is bright,” Mr. Vega said. “Some kids go through bumps, but they find their way. Even the ones you worry about surprise you. We have to have faith in them.”  

Students describe Mr. Vega as a passionate and dedicated teacher who enjoys educating his students with new lessons about science.  

“I really enjoy Vega’s class, I think I really like his teaching style and how he helps us if we don’t understand something, I think he deserves this recognition,” junior Fernanda Morales said.  

Mr. Vega is content with the choices that led him to becoming a teacher.  

“I think I chose the right path,” Vega said. 

Mr. Vega’s famous classroom decorations, especially his alien-themed “museum”, have become a campus legend. Though the collection began with a few posters, it quickly grew as students brought in their own items.  

“Most of what you see here, the kids donated,” he said. “Drawings, photos, little models. It’s a remembrance of them. It’s like they never really left.” 

“Mr. Vega’s classroom is super fun and always good for laughter. It’s filled with aliens and spaceships, and it’s honestly just an enjoyable place to learn,” junior Joseline Castro said.  

 Mr. Vega is content with his award and offers a few words of advice to future nominees. 

“Have faith. If you don’t get the award, keep working. It took me 30 years to get mine. Enjoy the journey,” he said.