Finalists for H-E-B‘s 2026 Excellence in Education Awards include 50 Texas teachers, counselors and principals; five early childhood facilities; five public school boards; and eight school districts.
The program awards cash prizes to educators who go above and beyond for their students and communities.
Over the past several months, H-E-B provided $120,000 in awards during surprise visits to schools across the state.
Teacher finalists received $1,000 for themselves and $1,000 for their school, while counselor finalists received $1,000 each and $1,500 for their school.
Principal finalists received $1,000 each and $2,500 for their school. An additional $90,000 was distributed in $5,000 awards to the early childhood facilities, school boards and district finalists.
Finalists were selected from five regions across Texas: Central Texas, Houston, North Texas, San Antonio and South Texas.
Each region produced 10 educator finalists spanning six categories – Rising Star (elementary and secondary), Leadership (elementary and secondary), Lifetime Achievement (elementary and secondary), School Counselor (elementary and secondary) and Principal (elementary and secondary).
All 68 finalists will compete for statewide honors at the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards ceremony May 3 at the Marriott Marquis Houston, where $480,000 in cash awards and grants will be distributed.
Lifetime Achievement winners – educators with more than 20 years of experience – will each receive $25,000 in cash and a $25,000 grant for their school.
Leadership Award winners, honoring teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom, will receive $10,000 each and a $10,000 school grant.
Rising Star winners, recognizing teachers with fewer than 10 years of experience, will receive $5,000 each along with a $5,000 school grant.
Winning counselors will receive $10,000 in cash and a $15,000 school grant. The principals honored will receive $10,000 in cash and a $25,000 school grant.
One winning early childhood facility will receive $25,000, one or more school boards will receive up to $25,000, one large school district will receive $100,000 and one small school district will receive $50,000.
Since the program launched in 2002, H-E-B has awarded nearly $15 million in funding to educators, early childhood centers, public school boards and school districts.
[RELATED: H-E-B Reveals Winners For 2025 Excellence In Education Awards]