LA VERNIA, Texas – A La Vernia Junior High School teacher is being recognized for making a lasting impact both on and off the stage.
Celeste Nored, now in her second year at the school, has been named KSAT’s Educator of the Month for her dedication to helping students build confidence and discover a sense of belonging through theater.
For students in the program, the stage is more than just a place to perform: it’s a place to belong.
During a recent rehearsal for the school’s production of “Beauty and the Beast”, KSAT and Firstmark Credit Union surprised Nored with the honor.
Nored’s students were excited for her and cheered her on.
“It is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” Nored said. “I’ve spent 15 years in the classroom and several of those years were in some of the core classes at first, but getting to come over and work in theater has been such an honor and something that’s just so much fun to help these kids find their place and come out of their shells.”
Students told KSAT that Nored’s passion and teaching style make a difference.
“She’s a really great teacher, and I believe she deserves this,” said Wyatt Moore, a student.
Another student, Hallee Gullion, said Nored’s hands-on approach stands out most.
“What I love most about her class is that she’s very hands-on with what she does,” Gullion said.
Nored’s love for theater began at a young age.
“My parents, they raised me going to the theater, and I just loved how it gave me such a broad perspective on life and made me really learn how to look at things from everybody else’s perspective,” Nored said. “And, just how theater could take you anywhere.”
Now, Nored’s providing that same passion to her students through an expanding theater program that includes multiple productions each year.
Recently, the La Vernia Junior High School students staged their first one-act play, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” earning third place. Students are now preparing for their latest show, “Beauty and the Beast.”
Like any live performance, the program has faced its share of unexpected challenges. During one production, a bat nicknamed “Barry” appeared in the auditorium just hours before showtime.
“The day we were supposed to open the show, Barry appeared a couple of hours before the show in our large auditorium,” Nored said. “And we did what we could to try to get Barry to leave, but Barry decided not to leave and appeared during the show.”
When Barry didn’t leave, the performance had to be relocated to a theater in Seguin.
Despite the disruption, Nored said she was proud of how her students adapted, embracing the unpredictability of live theater and proving that no matter what happens, the show must go on.
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