Celia Barragan Builds Children with Character in her Comal ISD 3rd Grade Classroom

Celia Barragan wears many hats at Frazier Elementary. To her, no "hat" is more important than the yellow construction "hard hat" she modeled during her ExCEL presentation ceremony.

"Everything around here is under construction," she stated. "But the most important construction job we have is building children with character."

In every way, Ms. Barragan finds ways to connect with each child as an individual, not as a class or group member. Her favorite quote is "If a child does not learn in the way you teach him, teach him in a way that he learns." She sees her greatest challenge as getting each child motivated to experience success so he or she can meet his or her personal goals.

Ms. Barragan is the child of immigrant farm workers, and her parents were forced to leave school early. Her father only completed the 3rd grade, the age her small students are now. She was the first in her family to complete high school and went on to get her master's degree before entering the classroom. She knows the value of education and makes sure her students understand it as well. For 30 years, Ms. Barragan has driven the idea of education and personal success home to hundreds of students - and they have risen to meet her expectations.