By Hazel P. Villa

ILOILO CITY — Years ago, Jake Lopez was a child of a struggling family in Estancia, Iloilo, whose mother sold food in an elementary school while his father drove a tricycle to make ends meet. Today, the former Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) scholar has become an award-winning educator in the United States after receiving two major teaching honors in Arizona.

Lopez, who hails from Barangay Cano-an in Estancia, was named both “School Site Teacher of the Year” and “District Teacher of the Year” by the Pendergast Elementary School District in Arizona during an awarding ceremony held at the Pendergast Community Center in Phoenix on May 13 in the United States, or early morning of May 14 in the Philippines.

The “District Teacher of the Year” award is considered the highest annual teaching recognition in the Pendergast Elementary School District, which covers 12 schools serving around 8,000 to 9,000 students across Phoenix, Avondale, and Glendale, Arizona.

Apart from the district recognition, Lopez also received the “Westside IMPACT Teacher of the Year” award during a separate ceremony held on May 5 at Grand Canyon University in Arizona.

The Westside IMPACT Teacher of the Year program honors outstanding educators from West Valley school districts for excellence in instruction, leadership, mentorship, professional growth, and community involvement.

In an interview via Facebook Messenger, Lopez described the moment as surreal.

“Bongga bala ya ang national. 4Ps iskolar noon, Teacher of the Year na ngayon,” he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Lopez graduated cum laude in 2018 from the West Visayas State University College of Education, where he also served as managing editor of a student publication. He earned a Bachelor in Special Education with specialization in teaching the gifted.

He is now teaching under the Developmental Academic Program for middle school students in Grades 6 to 8 with mild to moderate disabilities, particularly learning disabilities.

Before moving to the United States in July 2023 as a J-1 teacher, Lopez worked at Hua Siong College of Iloilo. He admitted that pursuing the opportunity abroad came with financial struggles and uncertainty.

“I spent every cent I had from my savings sang ga-teach ako sa Hua Siong,” Lopez said.

He recalled how some parents of his former students helped him raise funds for his U.S. journey by hiring him as a tutor, while another parent even offered him an interest-free loan.

“That’s why I never asked a single cent from my family because I knew they did not have that amount. I gambled and took a risk,” he said, adding that he also sought help from lending companies just to finance his deployment.

Lopez said his upbringing continues to inspire him as an educator.

“I passed the 4Ps scholarship sang 2014. We were the second batch of 4Ps scholars,” he shared. “My mom was a housewife and sometimes sold food in an elementary school to help my father, who was a tricycle driver.”

Despite his achievements, Lopez said adjusting to life and work in the United States was far from easy.

“One of the most challenging moments I experienced as a Filipino teacher in the U.S. was adjusting to the culture, language differences, and the weather in Arizona,” he said.

Although English is widely spoken in the Philippines, Lopez admitted he still struggled with accents, expressions, and fast-paced conversations in the U.S. classroom setting.

He also had to adapt to Arizona’s extreme heat and the demands of being a Special Education teacher for the first time.

“I had to quickly learn how to support students with diverse needs, understand individualized education plans, and apply effective teaching strategies while adjusting to a new environment,” he said.

Still, Lopez said he chose to remain optimistic through the transition.

“These experiences helped me become more adaptable, patient, and compassionate as an educator,” he added.

For many Ilonggos and fellow educators, Lopez’s story has become more than a tale of professional success. It is also a story of grit, sacrifice, and how a child once supported by government aid rose to become one of the most recognized teachers in an American school district.

Photos courtesy of Jake Lopez