Dorothy Carlton Center's Life Skills teacher, Amanda Molina, was named Carlton Center's Teacher of the Year. This is in recognition of her steadfast dedication to her students and her devotion to her career.

Mrs. Molina graduated with a Bachelor's from University of Houston-Downtown. She will graduate and obtain a Master's Degree from University of Houston in Education-Special Population with an emphasis in leadership and also undertake the principal certification during the summer. 

Working at an ABA Center inspired Mrs. Molina and opened her eyes to the world of special education. She wanted to make a difference and one of her future goals is to be a behavior coach that helps teachers district wide with behavior interventions/reductions.  

Paraprofessionals that nominated Mrs. Molina stated the following:

• "demonstrates a strong work ethic and consistently supports our students, no matter what challenges they face"
• "always available to assist during crises and provides reliable support to staff whenever needed"
• "always has a positive attitude and a smile on her face"
• "goes above and beyond each day to help her students succeed, does not complain and leads by example"
• "a team player and displays great leadership for the PBIS team, shows enthusiasm and takes on new challenges"
• "pushes through tough days and always shines bright"

The Director of Carlton Center and staff presented this award to Mrs. Molina on December 18, 2025.