Liz Gallego
Moisés E. Molina High School
Dallas, Texas

"I grew up in Laredo, Texas, the poorest city in the United States. I received an education to leave the barrio and I never expected to return. In 1991, life's circumstance brought me to Oak Cliff, a barrio not unlike the one I had left behind. It was there that I discovered my life's purpose. I am a "coyote" I lead students on the path of art, creativity, and curiosity. But, before I could lead my students, I had to learn to follow. During those first three years in a barrio, my students taught me valuable lessons about life, culture, and happiness. Many of those students are still dancing today."

"Through her leadership, Ms. Gallego, has become an integral part of many young students' lives. She has been an outstanding mentor with the foresight to assist them in setting meaningful goals and at the same time empowering them to make choices and take responsibility for their own learning. The students in her classes have benefited greatly from her enthusiasm and diverse expertise. Her leadership, energy, drive and innovative spirit has had a remarkable impact on students at Greiner Middle School and Molina High School proving them with a role model that may not be 'at home.' "

Students enter the dance program at Molina without any prior exposure to dance as a fine art. Liz's goal is to not only expand their vision of dance, but of themselves & their world. Her most powerful tools have been interdisciplinary bilingual projects that include controversial topics, women's issues, history, current events, culture, technology and the power of the arts. Success is not something that can be measured with a score. Creativity is a shape-changer. Success ultimately comes from the students' ownership of projects. Each project has instruction, creativity, collaboration and controversy.

Other Highlights:

• Named to the committee to Revise the National Standards for Dance, National Dance Association, 2003
• First Dance Teacher Featured on the Center for Educator Development in the Fine Arts website, 2002
• Dance program featured on two videos, Portraits in Excellence (2000) and Dance for All Learners (2002) produced by the Texas Education Agency
• Vice-President, Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 2001-03
• Dance Educator of the Year 2002, Southern Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (13 states)
• Dance Educator of the Year 2000, Texas Association for Health, Physical Education Recreation, and Dance
• Popular presenter at regional, state, and national dance conferences, as well as a cultural and fine arts consultant, 1995-present
• Selected to the first Fine Arts Cadre to be a teacher trainer by the Texas Education Agency (Center for Educator Development in the Fine Arts), 1999
• Recipient of fifteen grants including two for Innovations in Education
• Founder and Director, Folkórico Festival of North Texas, the largest folklórico competition in the USA, 1991-present
• Published author, Winning: The Dance Competition Handbook for Teachers, Students, Parents, and Judges, 1999. Served as an education and cultural consultant for three dance text-books, 2002
• Presented nearly 400 community service performances since 1991
• Hobbies: Latin American history/current events and authentic Argentine Tango