We are delighted to honor Imanol Gomez Mendez, who currently serves as an Early Childhood Educator at West Middle Elementary School. Manny joined the Hartford Public Schools family in 2025, infusing our pre-kindergarten program with renewed enthusiasm and energy.
He brings exceptional passion, joy, and kindness to his classroom daily, consistently working to provide every opportunity for his students to learn, grow, and flourish. His commitment to cultivating an inclusive, nurturing environment where all children feel valued and empowered is truly exemplary.
Please join us in congratulating Manny on this well-deserved recognition. His contributions to early childhood education and the Hartford Public Schools community demonstrate the profound impact a dedicated educator can have on the lives of our youngest learners.
We also want to recognize once again our other two finalists, Jacklyn Vazquez of Parkville Community School and Jacqueline Rodriguez of Rawson School, for their outstanding contributions to our HPS PreK students. Their dedication, creativity, and commitment to early childhood education have made a tremendous impact on their students and our community. We are fortunate to have such exemplary educators shaping the futures of our youngest learners. Go, Team Prek!