While other kids her age were asking for gadgets or theme park tickets, McKenna Harrell was saving up for something else: classroom supplies. 

She wasn’t buying them for school (at least, not officially). McKenna was building a classroom in her own home, complete with desks from garage sales, stacks of worksheets, and even an old overhead projector. She and her friends would spend hours playing school, and McKenna was always the teacher.

It wasn’t just a game. It was a calling.

Long before she had a class roster of her own, McKenna knew she wanted to teach. It’s a path she knew well, growing up with two parents who spent their careers in Abilene ISD classrooms. This year, that path came full circle when she was named Ward Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year–just days after learning that her mom, Denise Harrell, had earned the same honor at Austin Elementary. 

“It’s humbling to be honored as your school’s Teacher of the Year,” Denise said. “But to share this honor this year with my daughter is special.”

Now in her sixth year teaching kindergarten at Austin, Denise has spent decades in the classroom. Education is not only a profession in the Harrell family–it’s a way of life. Denise’s husband and McKenna’s dad, Jeff,  is a longtime teacher and coach at Cooper High School. Their three children–triplets Drew (an engineer in Dallas), McKenna, and Dylan (a sixth-grade math teacher and coach at Madison Middle School)–grew up in their parents’ classrooms.

“School has always been a part of my life, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” McKenna said.

It was evident early on to McKenna and her parents that her future was as a teacher.

 “Next to seeing her love Jesus the way she does, it’s probably the most fulfilling thing for a mother,” Denise said. “The great thing for me is that I remember the little girl who saved her money, went to the store, and bought stuff for her classroom at home, and now she’s the teacher of the year at Ward.”

McKenna, in turn, credits both her parents for shaping her into the teacher she is today.

“I love teaching because it’s one of the few professions that allows you to love on kids and make a difference in their lives,” McKenna said. “Plus, we had some great role models in our parents. My mom is a teacher of the year for a reason; she’s a phenomenal teacher. I model my classroom based on hers, and I’m the teacher I am because of both of my parents.”

At the Abilene Education Foundation’s Teacher in the Limelight dinner, the Harrell family came together to celebrate, and Denise found herself emotional.

“I teared up at the AEF dinner because I get to watch McKenna live out her calling,” she said. “She’s very gifted at what she does. I’ve seen her in the classroom, and I know how much she pours into her students. She has a gift, and I’ve seen it in her since she was young.”

The Harrell family’s love of education has spanned decades, shaped classrooms across the district, and inspired generations of learners.

Now, with mother and daughter both holding Teacher of the Year titles, that legacy isn’t just continuing—it’s thriving.