When Principal Andy Baxa saw that the district had formed a new award, the Icon Award, he knew Carol Nelson would be a perfect fit. This year is the first year the Icon Award has been given out, and Nelson is the first winner. One requirements is that a winner works for 40-plus years with AISD. Nelson has worked at McCallum for 46 years.

“As soon as I heard about the award, I immediately thought of Nelson,” Baxa said. “There is nobody else on this campus who would be more deserving than Nelson, so I decided to nominate her.”

While working for 46 years with AISD, Nelson has developed her winning ways of teaching.

“First and foremost, she puts her students first,” Baxa said. “That’s the No. 1 thing anyone wants to see out of any teacher. The way she interacts, the way she works with her students, she generally wants everybody to succeed and be the best versions of themselves,” Baxa said.

Baxa was there to present the award to Nelson during sixth period, so he got to witness everyone’s reaction.

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving to be recognized for the work they’ve done,” Baxa said. “Ms. Nelson could have retired at any time, so the fact that she is still here doing an amazing job and is still passionate about what she does, I hope she never retires.”

For her part, Nelson was characteristically modest.

“[I am] excited and thrilled, but at the same time very humbled by the recognition,” Nelson said. “Quite an honor. I feel very fortunate to have taught at McCallum for the past 46 years.”

Former Mac principal Brandi Hosack, chief of talent and strategy; Phillip Taylor, executive director for performing arts; Darla Caughey, director of recruitment and employee retention; Denisha Presley, associate superintendent for talent engagement; and Robert Chavez, retention and recruitment coordinator, represented the district at today’s celebratory announcement.

While the district brass gave the event a certain gravitas, Nelson said that the best part of today’s announcement was that she got to share the honor with her students.

In addition to student musicians on hand, Dr. Sam Parrott, Fine Arts Academy director, and assistant band directors Dillon Junkin and Ryan Pride were eyewitnesses to the moment.

“I was in the hallway working on something and saw this parade of people coming down, so I knew pretty quickly she won since she had told me she got nominated for it,” Pride said. “I honestly wasn’t surprised she won. She’s been such an icon of this district and represents a lot of consistency and success that has been with this program.”

Gallery • 27 Photos

Photos by Emerson Merritt and Harriet Zettner.

During her years at McCallum, Nelson started the steel drum band and helped start the Samba Knights group, Pride said.

“There are few people who have built such a foundation in not only this band but also the Fine Arts Academy,” Pride said. “She has always been so helpful in facilitating so much of the growth that we’ve seen at McCallum. This award brings great recognition of what she has contributed and sacrificed for this program.”

With teaching awards, Pride said, a lot of times academic teachers win, not teachers of the arts.

“I think that it was a really great recognition of somebody who has created generations of kids,” Pride said. “We have students who are doctors, physicians and major people who have done great things with their lives, and Nelson helped with what they learned here at this program. Seeing that she’s getting recognized for the guidance she provides is really great to see. I’m super proud and humbled to say I’m part of this program, and to see someone who has devoted so much to this program is such an honor. I’m only at year 21, and she’s already at 46, and doing the things she’s done is just wow. I’m just very happy for her.”