Dr. Sunday Vince V. Latergo

International Luminary Award in Teaching

Naco Elementary School District No. 23 ,

United States of America

Elementary Classroom Teacher

Personal Highlights:

Dr. Roberto N. Padua Memorial Award for Excellence in Research – Awarded Best Paper – 1st Place (Cluster 2. Teacher Development, Educational Leadership, and AI-enabled Educational systems) and Best Presenter – 1st Place (Track 1. Educational Leadership) at the Association of Filipino Teachers and Educators in America (AFTEA), Inc.’a 5th International Research and Education Conference (5th IREC) in New York City (NYC), USA (June 2026).
Light of the World Teaching Service Award (Diamond Award – 10th Year) – Recognized internationally for a decade of exemplary teaching service and educational leadership and management across the Philippines and the United States (June 2026).
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Educational Leadership and Management – Graduate of Philippine Normal University Visayas with specialized credentials, including a Diploma in Environment and Green Technology Education.
Evaluated “Highly Effective” (4.0/4.0) Educator – Achieved a perfect evaluation rating across Planning, Classroom Management, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities in U.S. public schools (January 2026).
Competitive Mini-Grants Recipient and VEX IQ Robotics Coach – Awarded the Cochise Education Foundation and Bisbee Foundation mini-grants for foundational learning centers in both ELA and Math, and coached VEX IQ Robotics Team 11515C (“The Warriors”) to a 2nd Place finish in the Teamwork Category.

Inspirational Success Story:

Dr. Sunday Vince V. Latergo is notable for his transformative impact on elementary education, STEM leadership, and evidence-based teaching methodologies across international educational systems. His impactful career is defined by three key achievements. First, his exceptional leadership in integrating green technology, environmental stewardship, and hands-on STEM pedagogy into elementary classrooms. Equipped with a PhD in Educational Leadership and Management and a Diploma in Environment and Green Technology Education, Dr. Latergo has successfully bridged complex environmental concepts with inquiry-based learning for elementary students, earning a perfect 4.0/4.0 “Highly Effective” teaching rating. Second, his dedication to securing competitive funding and fostering technological literacy through extracurricular STEM programs. Through mini-grants from the Cochise Education Foundation and Bisbee Foundation, he established critical learning centers, while simultaneously mentoring elementary robotics teams to regional tournament success as a certified VEX IQ Robotics Coach and REC STEM Judge. Third, his scholarly contribution to global educational research. Dr. Latergo actively bridges the gap between educational policy, leadership, and primary instruction through international conference presentations, journal publication, and peer-review service across reputable multidisciplinary journals.

His teaching impact is evidenced through three significant accomplishments:

Inquiry-based Pedagogy and Grant-driven Excellence. As a 3rd GradeEducator at Naco Elementary School District No. 23, Dr. Latergo pioneered hands-on sustainability and STEM units aligned with state standards. He secured competitive mini-grants (Cochise Education Foundation Mini-Grant and Bisbee Foundation Mini-Grant) to fund “Cardinal Pride” Math and Reading RTI success centers, significantly enhancing foundational learning and student engagement.
STEM Robotics and Extracurricular Coaching. Demonstrating leadership beyond the standard curriculum, he coached VEX IQ Robotics Team 11515C (“The Warriors”) to a 2nd Place Finish in the Teamwork Category at the Fort Apache VEX IQ Last Chance Qualifying Tournament. Additionally, his expertise earned him a role as an Official REC Foundation Certified STEM Judge, evaluating engineering notebooks and interviews for elementary and middle school divisions.
Scholarship and Research-Informed Pedagogy. Dr. Latergo maintains a strong research footprint while remaining active in primary classroom teaching. His empirical research on U.S.-based Filipino educators’ performance won top honors (1st Place Best Paper and Best Presenter) at the 5th IREC in NYC. As an active reviewer for multiple international journals, he continuously translates cutting-edge educational research into practical classroom strategies.

Dr. Latergo can bring inspiration to the international education community through his track record:

Cross-Border Educational Leadership. From serving as Senior Education Program Specialist (SEPS) for Planning and Research and Human Resource Development in the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Bacolod City and EPS II for Social Mobilization and Networking in DepEd Division of Cadiz City to teaching in Arizona public schools, his career showcases a seamless blend of policy management, leadership, management, and classroom teaching excellence across nations.
Empowering Young Minds in STEM and Environmental Stewardship. By integrating environmental and green technology education into elementary instruction, Dr. Latergo inspires educators globally to embed sustainability, robotics, and critical thinking early in a child’s academic journey.
Bridging Empirical Research with Primary Education. His dual identity as a PhD scholar-researcher and a full-time 3rd Grade teacher serves as a powerful model for how scholarly inquiry directly enhances day-to-day instructional quality and student learning outcomes.

Evidence of works: