Brackenridge High School Principal Yesenia Cordova is the Education Service Center, Region 20 World Languages Administrator of the Year. The announcement came during a surprise, social-distanced ceremony on Oct. 20 in the Brackenridge lobby.

“Ms. Cordova has been instrumental in advancing dual language programs at the secondary level in SAISD,” said Olivia Hernandez, assistant superintendent for learning, language and literacy. “It is because of her belief in providing equity and access to our children at the secondary level that she jumped on the opportunity to offer dual language here at Brackenridge.”

Cordova and the Brackenridge team began a dual language pilot in the 2018-2019 school year, which gave students the ability to take algebra, chemistry, and biology in Spanish and test in English. The results have been positive. Hernandez said that because of the dual language pilot at Brackenridge, other high schools including Lanier, Edison, and CAST Med now offer dual language education to secondary level students.  

“We worked really hard and we truly believe that we offer equity for all students,” said Cordova. “When they offered us an opportunity to pilot a dual language education at Brackenridge, I jumped on it because I felt like this was an opportunity that many kids don’t have.”

According to Jeff Goldhorn, executive director of Education Service Center, Region 20,  Cordova was selected for the honor because of her outstanding leadership in education.

“Your enthusiasm and dedication are some of the reasons why your students demonstrate a high level of performance,” he wrote in Cordova’s award recognition. “I commend you for sharing your own story with your Brackenridge families so they know that you can empathize with what it is like to have barriers to learning, including a language barrier. Thank you for sharing with parents the possibilities, not the limitations, to learning.”

Cordova said sometimes educators have to find what is going to make the students want to achieve, and the dual language program has provided an opportunity for success.

“The most exciting part about the whole program is I see our kids flourish, learn and grow,” she said. “If we believe in them, they are going to believe in themselves.”