Alondra Ornelas-Ramirez recognized as Missouri Teacher Leader of Tomorrow by Missouri Milken Educators

POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — Alondra Ornelas Ramirez, a senior elementary education major from Kent, Washington, has been recognized among the 2026 Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow by the Missouri Milken Educators. She will graduate from College of the Ozarks in May 2026, marking a significant milestone as a first-generation college student. She has been named one of 15 recipients of the prestigious 2026 Missouri Milken Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow, recognizing her exceptional promise in teaching.

The Missouri Milken Educators recognize the Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow in collaboration with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Missouri Milken educators created this program in 2022 and are celebrating 16 teachers across the state with the Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow awards this year.

All Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow inductees will receive the benefits of one-on-one mentorship from Missouri Milken educators, who were all previously recognized by the Milken Family Foundation with the National Milken Educator Award for their impressive achievements. Honorees will have a year of coaching and mentorship and will be able to access the full network of the Missouri Milken Educators. The network serves as a rich resource for fellow educators dedicated to excellence in education. Ornelas Ramirez and the other honorees were surprised with the news that they were selected for the designation.

Alondra with College of the Ozarks education department, from left to right, Kerry Moore, Colleen Hardy, Alondra Ornelas-Ramirez, Tina Keith, and Christy Patrick.

About Ornelas-Ramirez

Alondra’s passion for education began through meaningful interactions with students she met while accompanying her mother’s bus routes. Those early experiences and conversations led her to volunteer at local elementary schools, where she discovered her love to teach our nation’s youth.

Her junior year she attended teaching clinicals at Cedar Ridge Intermediate (CRI) and felt called by the Lord to go back and serve for her student teaching semester. At CRI she exercised her bilingual speaking skills and her Hispanic heritage to serve English Language Learning students. Her experience there helped shape her perspective as a Christian educator working in a public-school setting.

Ornelas-Ramirez credits College of the Ozarks with providing both the opportunity to graduate debt free and a supportive environment that encouraged her passion for teaching.

“The teachers I have had not only have taught me how to be an exceptional teacher, but they have showed me how to reflect Christ,” she said.

Ornelas-Ramirez described receiving the award as both an honor and an opportunity for continued growth.

“Receiving this recognition to me is an incredible honor and it is a testament to how stellar the education department at College of the Ozarks is. I have felt beyond grateful for receiving this award, as it provides me with the opportunity to grow in my teaching skills.”

The award includes a yearlong mentorship program with past recipients for Alondra’s first year of teaching. This upcoming school year, she will teach a class of fourth grade students at Sweeny Elementary in Republic, Missouri.

Alondra with Missouri Milken Educator and College of the Ozark Alumnus, Dallas DeWeese.

Celebration of Excellence

Dallas DeWeese, College of the Ozarks alumnus and member of the Missouri Milken Educator Network, presented Alondra with the award in her student teaching classroom, and commented on how special this celebration and accomplishment was.

“Seeing Alondra become the first College of the Ozarks student to receive the MTLT award was a moment of instant joy. It was surreal to return to my alma mater and ‘pay it forward’ by celebrating a fellow Bobcat who is already demonstrating the leadership and heart that our school is known for,” DeWeese said.

He also highlighted the demands of the teaching profession and Alondra’s ability to meet them.

“People often underestimate the complexity of teaching; it requires a rare blend of instructional leadership, classroom management, and content knowledge — all while attending to the unique emotional needs of every child. Alondra navigates these demands naturally.”

Student Impact

Ornelas-Ramirez made an immense impact over the semester she taught at CRI. “She believes in me,” said one student about Alondra’s influence on them.

“It was clear that Alondra had built deep, meaningful relationships with her students in a very short time,” DeWeese said.

Alondra’s advisor and Professor of Education and Director of Teacher Education, Kerry Moore, highlights the importance of College of the Ozark’s relationship with the MO Milken Educator Network.

“We are grateful that the Missouri Milken Educator Network is celebrating excellence in teaching for the newest of educators,” said Moore. “Alondra exemplifies excellence in her interactions with everyone she meets. She is kind, compassionate, and joyful in her work in the classroom and the workplace. We are incredibly proud of her.”