AUSTIN, Texas – A teacher from Lake Travis ISD is one of six finalists for the 2019 Texas Teacher of the Year.

Megan Holden is an English II and AP art history teacher at Lake Travis High School.

She has taught at Lake Travis High School for the past 20 years of her 21-year career in education. She said that during her career, she has embraced the importance of students knowing that someone is paying attention to them.

"When I find out that students are going through hardship, I find the time to speak to them privately. I ask them to tell me what’s going on, and I offer my support. Sometimes that looks like giving them a few extra days to work on a project, sometimes it means finding a kid a pair of glasses, and sometimes it is as simple as sending them to the restroom to get themselves together after a good cry," said Holden.

Holden also founded the school’s "Fight Club," which is an organization that helps teachers support students in crisis, and the "Cavalier Lounge," a community-supported resource pantry that provides necessities for students in crisis.

The six finalists were chosen by the Texas Association of School Administrators, also known as TASA, and were chosen from among the 40 regional teachers of the year.