Whatateacher 2025
A Partnership Between Whataburger and the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc.
 
For the third year, Whataburger partnered with the Longview ISD Foundation’s annual Lamplighter Award, choosing one of the Longview ISD educator Lamplighter Award honorees as Whataburger’s Whatateacher.
 
To select the annual Lamplighter Award honorees on each Longview ISD campus, first, students in grades five, eight, and twelve wrote essays about their special educators.  These essays described how the educators have positively influenced the students, going far beyond their daily duties to create the best learning environment for students while also nurturing students by recognizing their individual needs and creating a sense of family within the classroom. 
 
Longview ISD Foundation members read the essays and chose the most well-written essays, ones that truly explained how each educator influenced the student.  Students then honored their special educators at a dinner at Pinecrest Country Club.  This year’s event, the 25th annual banquet, was held on Thursday, April 3. 
 
Whataburger and Kelsey Matlock, field marketing coordinator for East Texas and Northwest Louisiana, wanted to be a part of the Lamplighter Awards event by naming one of the honorees the Whataburger Whatateacher.  Ms. Matlock asked the Foundation to choose an essay that best exemplified the qualities students’ think excellent educators should possess, and that one Lamplighter Award educator honoree would be named the Whatateacher of the year and receive $1,000 from Whataburger. 
 
This year the Foundation chose Claudia Viramontes, biology teacher at Longview Early Graduation High School, as the 2025 Whatateacher. Ms. Viramontes was honored by Alaisha Jones.  In Alaisha’s beautifully written essay, she described Ms. Viramontes not only as an excellent teacher but also one who has been “like a parent to many of her students, guiding them with wisdom and unwavering support, ensuring that they continue our journey toward knowledge and self-discovery.”
 
On Wednesday, May 7, Kelsey Matlock and the team from the Whataburger in Longview honored Ms. Viramontes and her fellow teachers with a Whataburger breakfast.   At the Whatateacher celebration, Whataburger and the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. presented Ms. Viramontes with a check.  Ms. Matlock, who attended the Lamplighter Awards, said, “Congratulations!  Whataburger is proud of you.  We were happy to be part of the surprise at the Lamplighter Awards and happy today to award you $1,000.  Congratulations also to Alaisha for honoring you with such a touching tribute.” 
 
Past Whatateacher recipients are Jatinder Jhass, Foster Middle School language arts teacher, and Marsha Childers,  International Baccalaureate English teacher.