SAN ANTONIO — At Harlandale ISD, a 5th grade math teacher has shown he’s a true example of the proverb “where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
No matter what life throws his way, his strong work ethic is undeniable and his attitude toward life is turning out to be the greatest lesson for his students.
Harlandale ISD nominated David Cruz for the KENS 5 EXCEL Award.
KENS 5 Anchor Sarah Forgany along with partner Credit Human surprised Cruz in class with a $1,000 check.
"I’d just like to say thank you for being an amazing teacher and helping us,” 5th grade student Olivia Paredes told Mr. David Cruz, as the math teacher and other students sat at the small table in the corner of the classroom.
Cruz’s reputation precedes him at Schulze Elementary, “He comes to school every day. He works hard for us,” chimed in another 5th grader.
Cruz’s math class is informative, fun and creative and his chess club is incredibly popular but just as important to his students, they can always count on Mr. Cruz to show up.
"Every Wednesday and Friday mornings from 7 a.m. to 745am,” that’s what time Cruz says he arrives to school twice a week to support students participating in the chess club which he launched years ago.
Cruz shows up way before the bell rings and stays late after school. In fact, he hardly misses class even on his toughest days while juggling work, family life and chemotherapy sessions several times a month.
"My parents or my wife, they drive me to school because sometimes I'm still a little too tired."
Cruz has been undergoing chemotherapy since last summer after doctors broke the news that he had stage four gastric cancer. Cruz says he was distraught when he first found out.
“At the time when you hear stage four, it’s like you don't have a lot of time left,” Cruz recalled, “then after some time, it’s just keeping a positive mindset and being confident, finding out stage four doesn't mean your life is over. You still could have many years afterwards."
Precious time that Cruz says he chooses to spend at school, surrounded by his elementary students, “I like to have fun with my students. I like to make them laugh. I like to entertain them. I like to talk to them, get to know them."
He says watching them learn and grow brings him happiness and gives him purpose.
He also believes being open about his medical condition is important to the bond they have in the classroom.
“I like to share with them because one, I want them to know this situation and just to be mindful about it, and two, even though I'm going into this, you see me here working hard so that's what I expect from them as well.”
High expectations, honesty and humility, all valuable lessons for the little ones carefully observing and learning from the man they look up to every morning.
His student Olicia Paredes told us Mr. Cruz is a big role model for her, “a life lesson I'm learning is if you're going through something like a heartbreak or a death of a family member, it's good to try and keep going and keep working on your work and focusing even when you're sad.”
It’s something Cruz holds close to his heart, never taking a moment for granted “always going to have hurdles and struggles in life and so it's important to work hard and continue to do our best at all time.”
The KENS 5 EXCEL segment highlights exceptional teachers in 19 school districts in the San Antonio and surrounding area.
This is the KENS 5 EXCEL Awards 25th years partnering with Credit Human to honor local teachers. If you’d like to watch past winners, click on kens5.com/EXCEL.