Biography 

Sonia Renee’ Alvarado graduated from John B. Alexander High School, Health and Science Magnet Program in 2008 as a three-sport Varsity student athlete. She was a recipient of the United States Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award for her academic and athletic excellence in volleyball, basketball, and softball, while maintaining a top 10% GPA. 

She attended Texas A & M International University (TAMIU) where she was a recipient of the D.D. Hachar Honors Program and chosen for the Title V Hispanic Student Success Initiative, Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers Today program. This organization allowed her to accelerate her goals by initiating student-teacher blocks as a freshman while simultaneously attending classes, instead of waiting until junior and senior year. As a university freshman, Sonia Renee’ participated in the Reading the Globe contest, reading ‘All But My Life’ by Gerda Weissman Klein, wrote an essay, and was awarded a week-long paid trip to Krakow, Poland. During this trip, she experienced firsthand the setting of the book, visited the Auschwitz concentration camps and other historical sites, and would later use that inspiration for her students to promote reading.

She completed her studies in three years and graduated from TAMIU in August 2011, Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor's of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. In September 2011, Sonia was hired as a fourth grade teacher at Abraham Kazen Elementary for UISD. 

Moreover, she graduated from Sam Houston State University (SHSU) in 2013 with a Master's of Library Science. She holds a Texas Educator Certificate in Early Childhood through 6th Grade-Bilingual, and a Library Media Specialist Certification Early Childhood-12th Grade. Sonia Renee’ has been with the United Independent School District for 11 years and counting, 6 of which were as a 2nd and 4th grade teacher at Abraham Kazen Elementary. 

She coached high school Junior Varsity and Freshman volleyball at JB Alexander High School from 2012-2014 and middle school volleyball at United Day School from 2016-2017. In her spare time, she has been a Laredo Gateway Girls Softball, Laredo Pony League, and Boys and Girls Club sports volunteer coach, as well as a volunteer catechist at St. Patrick Church. 

She is currently the Library Media Specialist and Instructional Technologist at Dr. Henry Cuellar Elementary School. Sonia Renee’ is the Leader in Me Jr. Lighthouse, VBRICK student announcements, Tomorrow's Teachers Club, and Unified Sports campus sponsor. She has been an active member of UISD as a reading curriculum/scope and sequence designer, instructional technology cadre, Golden Apple nominee, and library instructional plan committee member. As an instructional technologist, she has obtained Google Certifications for Level 1, Level 2, and Trainer. She has additionally achieved SMART Notebook Digital Educator and Screencastify Master Screencaster certifications. She is the campus Website and Social media administrator. She is also a member of the Member of Texas Computer Education Association and Texas Library Association. In her time at Cuellar, Sonia has been awarded several grants from the First Book Marketplace through their partnership with dd’s Discounts and the Rochelle and Sidney Hochman Educational Support Grants to purchase books for her students.  Sonia is also an Adjunct Faculty for the College of Education in Educational Technology, at Texas A&M International University.

Sonia Renee’ achieved a Doctorate of Education in Instructional Design and Technology Systems from Sam Houston State University in May of 2022. An abridged chapter version of her dissertation, “Design-Based Research for Virtual Learning: A Holistic Perspective on the Pedagogical and Contextual Factors of Interactive Mobile Technology,"  is published in, Cases on Practical Applications for Remote, Hybrid, and Hyflex Teaching.