New Mexico Teacher of the Year

Nancy Louise Orta, the 2026 New Mexico Teacher of the Year, fondly recalls sitting beside her father as a young child, listening as he read aloud to her. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong love of reading that has profoundly influenced her career and dedication to education. A proud graduate of New Mexico State University, Orta earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education and began sharing her passion for literacy with young learners. For more than 25 years, she has inspired students and is currently a first-grade teacher at East Picacho Elementary School in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she fosters curiosity and a deep love of learning through literacy and STEM. Orta holds a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from Grand Canyon University. She spent a decade as a reading interventionist, equipping struggling readers with the foundational skills needed for lifelong success. In addition, she served as a university instructor at NMSU, mentoring future educators, and as a site facilitator for the NMSU Outreach Academy, coordinating diverse courses in STEM, art and literacy. Her dedication to students and commitment to excellence have earned her numerous honors, including LCPS Teacher of the Year, New Mexico Teacher of the Year, and earning the LCPS Excellence for Student Achievement Award. In Orta’s classroom, students are immersed in hands-on, inquiry-based learning that encourages critical thinking, risk-taking, and reflection. She artfully integrates the Science of Reading with systematic phonics and phonemic awareness instruction, cultivating confident, capable readers who love to learn.