Monmouth County Teacher Named To List Of Top 50 Educators Around The World

FREEHOLD, NJ — A teacher in the Freehold Regional High School District has been officially named to a list of the Top 50 Educators Around the World.

Dr. Angello Villarreal, a Spanish teacher at Freehold Township High School, was named to the 2026 list by The Educator’s Room, an education website that aims to improve education by “recognizing that the real experts, classroom teachers, are needed at the table of educational reform.”

Villarreal was selected for his work in redefining leadership and inclusive learning in the modern classroom, district officials said. He is part of a 2026 cohort selected from a pool of over 500 applicants.

“We spent all of Thanksgiving break finalizing our selection and used the remaining days in December to create a magazine that speaks to what we know — educators from around the globe are doing jaw-dropping things,” Editor Cheryl Adams said. “We must honor them.”

As a part of the Educator’s Room’s 2026 cohort, Villarreal will be featured across their digital platforms and included in their Top 50 Educators Magazine, which highlights his journey, leadership, and the impact of his work.

Being named as a Top 50 Educator reflects Villarreal’s “innovation, advocacy, equity-driven work, and unwavering commitment to student success,” officials said.

“These educators have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their students and communities,” The Educator’s Room CEO Franchesca Warren said of the cohort.

“The selection committee spent countless hours reviewing applications to ensure this second cohort reflects true trailblazers — educators who are changing how we view education, both nationally and globally," Warren continued. "We are honored to recognize your work and amplify your voices.”

In addition to Villarreal’s recent honor from The Educator’s Room, he was also named the recipient of a Fulbright Teacher Exchange Award for 2025-26 in September, and gave back to his local community through his family's school supply drive over the summer.

Villarreal was also nominated for a Patch teacher spotlight in August 2024, and described as someone “everyone knows and loves.”

To learn more about The Educator’s Room, you can click here.

Related

• Freehold Township High School Teacher Earns Fulbright Teacher Exchange Award
• Freehold Family Gives Back To Community With School Supply Drive
• Teacher Spotlight: Angello Villarreal Makes A Difference In Freehold