Long Beach teacher wins $100k for school in nationwide contest

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A Long Beach teacher who was one of 15 nationwide finalists in the $100,000 Farmers Insurance "Dream Big Teacher Challenge" won the contest on Monday.

Principal Wendy Thompson said Katherine Tacea, who is also a librarian, is a remarkable human being after submitting a 10-page grant proposal regarding funding for Lafayette Elementary School.

Young students from the Long Beach school and its community rallied behind Tacea by voting online.

"I'm so grateful that I have such fabulous teachers and a principal, parents and students that work really hard, and they are so deserving of everything," said Tacea.

The grant will help purchase brand new tablet devices for all 1,000 students at the school, after only receiving less than one hour of computer access a week prior to the contest.

"To have this in the kindergarten, we're just so amazed to have technology in their little hands," said Laura Hernandez, a kindergarten teacher.

Tacea said the technology will not only help the current class but also the generation that follows.

"They will be in college," she said. "They will be college and career ready."