UTEP Miners

UTEP Celebrates Extra Yard for Teachers Saturday Night

9/15/2026 4:42:00 PM

El Paso, Texas – UTEP Athletics, in partnership with the Mountain West and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation, celebrated Extra Yard for Teachers from Sept. 8-15. The week-long celebration included a visit to a local elementary school with three recipients on Sept. 8, along with a recognition of all the teachers on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the opening football game where the Miners brought a home victory against the Texas Southern Tigers.

The teachers were hand-selected for their efforts and plans to improve their students and classrooms. Each project showed initiative to improve the students' access to sensory supports, individual interests, reading growth, and brain stimulation. At O'Shea Keleher Whole Child Academy, where the teachers were presented with their awards in person, the teachers had projects that were dedicated to bettering their SPED classrooms with sensory supports, interactive play, and help developing essential skills.

The Extra Yard for Teachers initiative is a nationwide movement led by the College Football Playoff Foundation, dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers. The "Big Day" Recipient teacher receives a $1,000 grant to fulfill their project. This year's recipient was Amy Stene, from Bobby Joe Hill Elementary. Mrs. Stene's project will fully fund two projects for two of her classrooms that will encourage confident readers among her third-grade students. At UTEP, we were thrilled to honor Mrs. Stene for her unwavering dedication to the students' personal and educational growth.

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