A 29-year Douglas County veteran educator who loves his students “with his heart and soul” and a high school senior who plans to become a nurse have been honored for their extraordinary contributions to English language learning.
Beulah Elementary School teacher Amos Bishop received the 2026 Exemplary English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher award on March 11. Douglas County High School student Kiara Cabrejos was honored with the 2026 Exemplary English Learner award on March 17.
Bishop teaches English as a second language to fourth- and fifth-grade classes at Beulah. He is a product of Douglas County Schools and has also taught at Sweetwater Elementary and Lithia Springs Elementary over his nearly three-decade career in education.
“Mr. Bishop is so deserving of being recognized as the 2026 DCSS Exemplary ESOL Teacher,” Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. K’Asha Davis said. “This honor is a testament to his outstanding dedication to his students.”
Beulah Principal Wiley Dailey added that Bishop “gives 200%” to his students and “there’s nothing he won’t do.”
“What truly sets Mr. Bishop apart is his profound understanding of community-based education,” Dailey wrote in recommending Bishop for the award. “He doesn't just teach the students; he actively builds and maintains strong, generational relationships with the families in the communities he serves. This deep connection allows him to better understand the holistic needs of his students and create a supportive educational environment that extends beyond the classroom walls.”
Bishop said the thing he enjoys most is helping kids to feel good about themselves and feel successful.
“Feeling really good about themselves is the most important thing,” he said. “Because if we can help kids know that they're seen and they're safe and they're cared about and that we believe in them, then they're going to feel like they can achieve as well.”
Cabrejos has earned a 3.9 GPA while staying deeply involved in school and community activities, including serving as president of Hispanic Organization Promoting Education (HoPe) and participating in the Spanish National Honor Society, the National Honor Society, Rho Kappa and the Student Government Association.
She has been recognized as a Georgia Merit Scholar and a Superintendent Scholar. She is also a bilingual student proficient in both Spanish and English and is on track to earn the Seal of Biliteracy.
She is taking dual enrollment classes at the University of West Georgia and Kennesaw State University.
She plans to attend Georgia State University after graduating from DCHS to become a nurse.
DCHS ESOL teacher Dr. Annette Ingram nominated Cabrejos for the ELL Award. Ingram said one of the things that impresses her most about Cabrejos is the way she advocates and mentors younger students.
“She really is a good mentor for the younger students,” Ingram said. “I've seen that in her. And when she comes to HoPe, she's so enthusiastic and encouraging and tells people what they need to do, but also, she helps them become the best leaders they can be.”