MORONI, Utah — A sixth-grade teacher who was named Utah's Teacher of the Year just two weeks ago has died unexpectedly, school district leaders announced.
Talia Casares was a Spanish Dual Language Immersion teacher at Moroni Elementary and had been selected as the 2027 Utah Teacher of the Year on Sept. 4.
The North Sanpete School District shared a social media post late Monday announcing Casares' unexpected death.
"Señora Casares was an amazing teacher; she had a special way of making students feel seen, valued, and capable," the district wrote. "Her love for her students, her passion for learning, and her joy in teaching were evident in everything she did.
"She believed in her students and encouraged them to believe in themselves."
Casares' husband, Jonatan Lopez, said the Teacher of the Year Award meant the world to his wife and that she always wanted to make a difference in her students' lives and believed everyone deserved a chance.
Lopez said Talia was on her way to a service project on Monday when she said she didn't feel well and later collapsed.
"I never thought I wasn't going to see her again," said Lopez. "Last night, it was almost impossible for me to fall asleep, and this morning, I woke up, and I start crying because she wasn't there by my side."
Born in Mexico City, Casares earned a Master of Arts in Spanish Pedagogy at Brigham Young University. During her 9-year teaching career, the Utah State Board of Education said Casares had been "recognized for creating innovative learning experiences that connect language, literacy, STEM, and technology while helping students build confidence and discover their potential."
The school district made grief counseling available Tuesday for students at Moroni Elementary, along with North Sanpete Middle School and North Sanpete High School.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Señora Casares's family, her students, her colleagues, and everyone whose life she touched," the district added. "She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered."