Abilene ISD is proud to announce that both of the district’s 2025-26 Teachers of the Year have earned Region 14’s top teaching honors and have been selected to represent the region at the state level.
Noah Watson, a kindergarten teacher at Bowie STEM Academy, was named Region 14 Elementary Teacher of the Year, and Katie Condra, an English language arts teacher at the Academy of Technology, Engineering, Math, and Science (ATEMS) has been named Region 14 Secondary Teacher of the Year.
“Noah Watson and Katie Condra are shining examples of what it looks like when educators choose to make a positive difference by focusing on students first every day,” said AISD Superintendent Dr. Joe Waldron. “It is an honor to have Noah and Katie leading the way and setting the standard for Abilene ISD.”
Katie Condra
Over her 20-year teaching career, Condra has taught Advanced Placement, dual-credit, and on-level high school English courses. She is a trusted voice and mentor on the ATEMS campus, playing a key role in supporting both students and staff. In her classroom, Condra blends project-based learning with cross-curricular experiences, creating opportunities for students to connect their learning beyond the classroom.
Condra is a graduate of Abilene Christian University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English for secondary teachers and a Master of Arts in English. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in literature and criticism at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Noah Watson
Watson, a 2022 graduate of Texas A&M University, has quickly established himself as an effective educator and a peer leader in his four years at Bowie. A proud product of Abilene ISD schools, Watson participated in the Ready, Set, Teach program as a student and was a two-time national competitor in the Texas Association of Future Educators Association.
Both educators were named the 2025-26 Abilene ISD Teachers of the Year during the Abilene Education Foundation’s 14th annual Teachers in the Limelight Celebration in April. As the district’s top educators, Condra and Watson also received the Edwin and Agnes Jennings Teacher Excellence Award.
Condra and Watson now advance in the Texas Teacher of the Year program, which recognizes excellence in the classroom and leadership in the teaching profession across the state. Their advancement continues a strong tradition of Abilene ISD’s representation in the program, including the selection of fellow AISD educator Taniece Thompson-Smith as the 2024 Texas Teacher of the Year.