DBU’s Bush College of Education Students Advance to the National Stage in Educator Rising Competition

The Bush College of Education is thrilled to announce that six current students competed in the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) state conference this past month, all advancing to the Educator Rising National Competition in Portland, Oregon, on June 20–23. This milestone is especially meaningful in our inaugural year as a collegiate chapter, with each student representing Dallas Baptist University with excellence. Their journey began at the Area 11 Conference in October, where they qualified for state, and now they are headed to Nationals.

Among the group, Andrea Ayala wrote and illustrated a children's book titled "The Bubble," while Keke Carr delivered a compelling Educator Rising Moment speech about why she wants to become a teacher and how she hopes to inspire others to follow the same path. Sarah Smith developed a classroom-ready Algebra 1 game, Fast and Factorable, to help students master factoring. Demonstrating creativity and composure under pressure, Barb Blackmon designed an interactive bulletin board on the Texas Regions and delivered a 25-minute impromptu lesson from a topic provided just 20 minutes beforehand. Emerson Lippert-Goforth and Berean Matthews collaborated on an Ethical Dilemma presentation examining the use of Artificial Intelligence in the classroom.

"Participating in the TAFE competition was a wonderful opportunity to put into practice everything we are learning in the College of Education. It also allowed me to connect with fellow future educators as well as current professionals in the field, which made the experience even more meaningful," said Andrea Ayala.

At each stage of competition, students presented their work to a panel of judges within strict time limits and were evaluated on the substance of their product, the professionalism of their delivery, and the overall quality of their presentation. Having distinguished themselves among collegiate teams across Texas, they will now bring their scholarship and skill to a national audience.

"We celebrate each of these students and the way they are representing DBU and the College of Education. I am so proud of them for saying 'YES' to this challenge over and above all that they are doing in their normal course load. This marks an incredible accomplishment for our first group of students to not only compete at the Area and State Conference but also advance all the way to the National Competition. Beyond our expectations! Just like a DBU student!" — Dr. Karla Hagan, Sponsor for the Student Education Association

Advancing to the national stage in their inaugural year reflects both the students' dedication and the strength of DBU's educator preparation. Their performance affirms the College's mission to cultivate leaders who are prepared to serve with excellence.