Carmel Catholic High School students know Dr. Esmeralda Mora as their Spanish teacher. Still, few know her as an accomplished international best-selling author and founding director of the Language Learner Literature Advisory Board. A passionate and dedicated writer who loves to create content that is both informative and engaging, Dr. Mora believes that good writing can change the world, and she strives to make a positive impact through her work, both at Carmel Catholic and the broader community.
A native of the small indigenous town of Apetlanca, Guerrero, Mexico, Mora has been named a finalist for the 2026 Global Teacher Prize in a yearly contest organized by UNESCO and the UK-based Varkey Foundation in the search for the Global Teacher Prize of 2026. One winner, announced in early 2026, will receive the grand prize of $1 million.
Spanning the globe, these Top 50 teachers are transforming lives through education. Whether teaching in remote villages or innovating in inner-city schools, they promote inclusivity, defend children’s rights, and drive positive change. By blending creativity and technology in the classroom, they empower students with the skills and confidence to succeed.
“The Global Teacher Prize was created with a simple mission: to shine a light on teachers like Esmeralda—educators whose dedication, creativity, and compassion deserve to be celebrated and shared with the world,” said Carmel Catholic President Dr. Brad Bonham. “Teachers shape minds, spark confidence, and open the doors through which young people create brighter futures for themselves and others.”
Dr. Mora is a transformative educator whose life and work embody the power of culturally responsive teaching and the global impact a single teacher can have. A first-generation college graduate and survivor of gun violence, she draws deeply from her own lived experience to help students from marginalized communities discover their voices.
For over 15 years, she has taught in Chicago-area high schools serving immigrant and low-income students who face significant personal, linguistic, and socioeconomic barriers. These challenges have shaped her mission: to use language as a tool for empowerment, empathy, cultural pride, and global citizenship.
The first child in her family to receive a college degree, Esmeralda is a shining example of determination, focus, and positive thinking to achieve anything you set your mind to.
Dr. Mora’s most influential contribution to education is her pioneering work in Language Learner Literature (LLL). This groundbreaking model replaces traditional grammar-heavy textbooks with culturally relevant young adult novels designed specifically for language acquisition.
She is an international best-selling author, and her novels—including Adelita y la Revolución Mexicana and Los quince de Raquel—have sold more than 90,000 copies worldwide and are featured in major curricula such as Wayside Publishing’s EntreCulturas series. This unprecedented adoption demonstrates the scalability and national resonance of her approach.
“In her Carmel Catholic High School classroom, Dr. Mora integrates American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ 5Cs (communications, culture, connections, comparisons, and communities) into rich, interdisciplinary units that weave together history, art, and music,” adds Principal John Ahlgrim.
Students engage with authentic cultural narratives, debate social justice issues, and build confidence through public-speaking opportunities. Her data-driven methods have yielded exceptional outcomes: students consistently outperform national Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) averages, with later cohorts scoring Intermediate 5 in Listening and Intermediate 4 in Reading, well above the national average of Intermediate 3. Her doctoral research provides empirical evidence that lifelong learning significantly improves proficiency, particularly in writing and speaking.
Dr. Mora’s influence extends far beyond her school. She founded the Language Learner Literature Advisory Board (LLLAB), shaping national standards for inclusive curricula. She regularly trains educators through professional development workshops, mentors novice teachers, and advocates for equitable instructional materials. She has served as a professional development presenter, proposal reviewer, and speaker at ACTFL, and her thought leadership has been featured on PBS Latino Voices. In 2024, she was named Illinois Teacher of the Year by ICTFL, elevating the profile of culturally relevant education state-wide.
If one defining achievement sets Esmeralda apart, it is her authorship of globally impactful, culturally authentic novels that are reshaping the field of world language education. By creating materials in which students can see themselves, she is transforming not only classrooms but the field itself – empowering the next generation of multilingual, socially conscious global citizens.