Kendall Toyota awards Miami-Dade Teacher of the Year a new car!

Kendall Toyota has been a proud sponsor of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Teacher of the Year ceremony since 2011, awarding the winning teacher a brand new Corolla. This year, Melissa Abril-Dotel is the winner of the 2025 Francisco R. Walker Teacher of the Year Award. She received a $3,500 cash prize, $1,500 gift basket, and a brand new 2024 Toyota Corolla from Kendall Toyota!

Abril-Dotel is a second-grade teacher at North Beach Elementary School who inspires her students through a relationship-centered classroom style, listening to her students’ needs and making them feel comfortable in her classroom. She also leads a state program that encourages students to read books and manages the school’s edible, composting, and butterfly garden.

From a young age, Abril-Dotel knew she wanted to be a teacher. When she was in fifth grade, her mother passed away and her homeroom teachers helped her get through the pain of losing her. “I was a reserved and quiet girl, but they were able to connect with me,” said Abril-Dotel. “That’s when I realized, there’s so much power in being a teacher. I could possibly change a life by being a teacher.” She eventually graduated from Coral Gables High School and pursued her dream in college, graduating with her bachelor’s in elementary education from Florida State University and a master’s in teaching English as a foreign language and urban education from Florida International University.

At the award ceremony, Abril-Dotel was handed the keys to a brand new 2024 Toyota Corolla, the grand prize for the Teacher of the Year. She received the latest model LE trim, with impressive fuel efficiency, safety features, and a host of entertainment features, valued at nearly $24,000. “We’re so happy to be corporate sponsors once again for the Teacher of the Year award ceremony,” said Michael Cordero, fleet manager at Kendall Toyota. “Growing up in Miami-Dade County and graduating from Miami Central, I’m so proud to give back to our teachers and community with Kendall Toyota. We’re honored to be able to do this every year.”