HCISD is proud to announce that Mercedes Espinoza, Secondary CTE Engineering Pathway Teacher at UTRGV Harlingen Collegiate High School (HCH), has been awarded the 2025 STEM Teachers Mini Grant from the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE). This is the second consecutive year Ms. Espinoza has earned this award. She was formally recognized for her achievement on November 22 at the McAllen Convention Center during the TSPE RGV Chapter Scholarship Ceremony, an event celebrating educators and students making a difference in STEM fields.
The TSPE STEM Teachers Mini Grant awards up to three educators with $1,000 each to support high-quality STEM instruction. Ms. Espinoza was selected for her commitment to hands-on learning and her work preparing students for future careers in engineering and related fields.
Ms. Espinoza’s teaching philosophy centers on real-world application. One notable program she leads is the nationally recognized NASA HUNCH Program, where students design and build prototype products for challenges sourced by NASA engineers and astronauts from ongoing missions. Through this program, students apply key engineering principles, including sketching, 3D modeling, problem-solving, and the design process, while also developing essential communication and teamwork skills. In recent years, several of her student teams have been invited to present their projects at Johnson Space Center in Houston, earning letters of recommendation from NASA and a certificate for their work.
“I believe students learn best when they can take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to hands-on projects or, even better, real-world problems,” Ms. Espinoza said. “When they see their ideas come to life, they understand the purpose behind the concepts we teach. I’m truly grateful for this grant, as it helps me give them even more opportunities to grow, explore, and realize their potential as future engineers.”
With grant funds, Ms. Espinoza will purchase supplies and tools students use to create games for STEAM Nights, as well as using them during HCH’s open houses and recruitment events. Her classes also use 3D printers to design and create charms—whether for themselves, for gifts, fundraising efforts, or community events. These tools give students meaningful hands-on experience while strengthening their practical engineering and design skills.
HCISD is extremely proud of Ms. Espinoza for earning this award for the second year in a row and for the tremendous impact she has on cultivating future engineers. Her passion, expertise, and dedication continue to elevate STEM education across HCISD.
