Las Vegas City Wire

A University of Nevada, Las Vegas, graduate student is crediting the university for giving him the passion to pursue early childhood education.

Carl Esteban, who is known as “Mr. Carl,” is currently pursuing a master's degree in special education, according to a news release from the university.

“I never thought I would be a pre-kindergarten head teacher. But not just that, a male, pre-kindergarten of color. A male, pre-kindergarten teacher of color with his eyes laser-focused on making a positive impact on all those who enter my classroom, and ultimately, within the field of early childhood education,” Esteban said in the release.

With a bachelor's degree in early childhood education in tow, Esteban has been working in the classroom since 2019.

“It’s the simple, yet meaningful moments that really stand out to you where you tell yourself this is why I do what I do. I want young children to know that they should never put limits on themselves,” he said.

Once he obtained his bachelor's in 2017, Esteban began working at a preschool as a student teacher, eventually becoming a substitute and ultimately a kindergarten teacher at the UNLV/CSUN Preschool at the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center. Recently, Esteban was named by the Nevada Department of Education as the state’s Early Childhood Educator of the Year for pre-kindergarten.

UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield said, “Carl Esteban is a talented educator who brings incredible spirit into his classroom every day, and he epitomizes why UNLV’s preschool is among the best in the region. Carl sees and respects each person’s individuality, celebrates their strengths, and helps them overcome challenges. He’s making a positive impression on our youngest learners that they’ll carry with them throughout their educational journey – a journey we hope brings them back to UNLV as college students one day.”