07/28/2026
Altamont faculty and staff will gather next week to welcome new colleagues and improve already exceptional service to students and community. In that spirit, we highlight Spanish teacher Nadia Barajas, recipient of Altamont's 2026 Edna Earl Mullins Endowed Teaching Prize in recognition of her demonstrated leadership abilities and outstanding achievement in teaching.
The Madrid native is “a consummate professional, one whose integrity, scholarship, and enthusiasm enrich our students and our school,” said Assistant Head of School JP Hemingway upon presenting the award. “Sra. Barajas is supremely humble, and her integrity and student-centered ethos often keep her out of the spotlight. Nonetheless, her students adore her, and her colleagues respect her tireless approach to academic and personal excellence.”
Barajas is known for an engaging and nurturing teaching style that balances rigor and relationships. She often challenges students through immersion experiences in Birmingham’s Spanish-speaking community. “From reading popular novels in Spanish to visiting local radio stations, Sra. Barajas’s students engage with Spanish and see the real-world benefits of learning another language,” Hemingway said.
Barajas challenges herself, too. She recently completed an M.A. degree in Continuing Education in International Teaching of Spanish as a Foreign Language at the University of Salamanca, Spain, and she is currently working on her Neurolanguage Coaching Certification. “Her journey of professional development speaks to her commitment to her students and our school,” Hemingway said. “Sra. Barajas is an amazing educator who not only believes in our mission – she lives it every day.”
