About me
Nancy Louise Orta is the 2026 New Mexico Teacher of the Year and a veteran educator with over 25 years of experience. A first-grade teacher at East Picacho Elementary School in Las Cruces, she is celebrated for her ability to blend a lifelong love of literacy with rigorous, inquiry-based STEM instruction.
A proud alumna of New Mexico State University (NMSU), Orta holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Grand Canyon University. Her career is marked by a deep specialization in foundational literacy; she spent a decade as a reading interventionist, where she focused on equipping struggling readers with essential skills for academic success. In her current classroom, she artfully integrates the Science of Reading with systematic phonics and phonemic awareness, creating an environment where students feel empowered to take intellectual risks.
Orta’s influence extends beyond the elementary classroom into higher education and community outreach. She has served as a university instructor at NMSU, mentoring the next generation of teachers, and acted as a site facilitator for the NMSU Outreach Academy, where she coordinated specialized courses in STEM, art, and literacy. Her accolades include the Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) Teacher of the Year and the LCPS Excellence for Student Achievement Award, reflecting her unwavering commitment to fostering curiosity and critical thinking in every student she reaches.
