LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Nancy Orta was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Orta is a first-grade teacher at East Picacho Elementary School in Las Cruces. Her decades of dedication to literacy, early childhood education, and student success have made her a powerful force for learning and growth.

Ms. Orta began her career in 2000 as an elementary school teacher and spent 10 years as a reading interventionist, helping struggling readers build confidence and foundational skills. Since 2019, she has taught kindergarten and first grade, consistently implementing research-based literacy instruction, including the Science of Reading and systematic phonics. This work ensures her youngest learners gain a strong foundation for lifelong academic achievement. She has also guided literacy integration through structured programs such as Heggerty and Handwriting Without Tears, as well as the use of decodable texts to support early readers. Her most recent accomplishment was being named the 2026 New Mexico Teacher of the Year.

Beyond her classroom responsibilities, Ms. Orta extends her impact as a university instructor at New Mexico State University. She brings the same high expectations, compassion, and evidence-based practices she uses with her own students to her work with teacher candidates. She also facilitates STEM enrichment through afterschool programming, fostering curiosity and hands-on learning that broadens students' educational experiences.