Central Staff News

Youngsun Choi is a 2025 recipient of the Dallas Education Foundation Heart of Teaching Grant. Through the Advancing Equity through Innovation in Special Education grant program, the foundation recognizes outstanding educators, such as Choi, who is using art and inclusive activities to support student growth and strengthen her school community.

Choi is the Functional Living Instructor at Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School, where she has been a special education teacher for the last 10 years.

“I love this population of students,” Choi said. “My goal is to continue building an inclusive campus culture and school community and to help students feel valued.”

Before entering education, Choi studied fashion design in South Korea and later earned a bachelor’s degree in merchandising from the University of North Texas. Her plan to teach was inspired by motherhood. When her son began school, she realized a career in education would allow her to better support his academic journey.

Today, Choi’s passions have come full circle. She now channels her artistic background through the engaging, hands-on learning projects that support students with learning and health disabilities as they navigate academics and prepare for life after graduation.

Through her grant project, students use T-shirts, fabric dye, cups, and other materials to explore color theory and develop fine motor skills. The sensory art-based project encourages active learning as students engage different textures and processes. As they measure and mix dyes with water and study geometric patterns, students are reinforcing math and science concepts.

“Beyond their academic goal, students have transition goals,” Choi said. “I think about their future after graduation. This project helps build their functionality and confidence while preparing them to believe that they could pursue a career in an art or creative field.”

Creativity is an outlet for students to build self-trust, strengthen nonverbal communication, reduce anxiety, and promote emotional wellbeing. Through creative expression students often uncover and develop new talents, abilities that Choi believes can grow into future career paths. 

With support from the Dallas Education Foundation, Choi’s work is helping students develop a sense of accomplishment and personal value. The project has already shown success, and Choi is now collaborating with the school’s art teacher to expand the opportunity beyond her Functional Living class to the entire campus.

Students will showcase their tie-dye creations during the school’s field day this spring.

The Foundation, in collaboration with The Reese-Jones Foundation, awarded more than $65,000 in Heart of Teaching grants to 17 educators with innovative projects aimed at uplifting and empowering students with special needs.

 “The biggest outcome of the project is increased confidence in the students,” Choi said. “There is no limit when it comes to art. Students can imagine creative possibilities for their careers, like an online store. Things will be changing as AI continues to evolve, but natural human creativity is something that is still needed.”

In 47 years of serving Dallas ISD Food & Child Nutrition Services, Brenda Jackson can count on one hand how many days she’s missed work—just one. In an era where job-hopping is the norm, her colleagues still marvel at her reliability, because for Jackson, the job was never just about serving meals—it was about serving people. 

This past December, Jackson—who was the food service assistant at Maria Luna Food Service Facility—hung up her apron one final time. Her story with the district began in 1978 at two schools, the now defunct Pearl C. Anderson Middle Learning Center and David Crockett Elementary School. 

At David Crockett, Jackson said she was more than a staff member; she was the keeper of the keys. Her manager, who has since passed away, trusted her to open the building while the city was still dark.

“She asked me, she said, ‘You don’t mind coming in at five?”’ Jackson recalled. “She gave me the key to open up. I’d come in ahead and set up everything in the cafeteria so when the cafeteria staff came in, everything was ready. Then, when it was time for the kids to come in, they’d eat their breakfast.”

Jackson’s true impact happened in the quiet moments between the serving lines. She didn’t just see students as numbers; she saw them as children who sometimes needed a mother’s touch. She remembers one particular student at Crockett who would often arrive at school without lunch money and in need of clean clothes.

“One kid didn’t have any money, so I said, ‘We’re gonna feed him anyway.’ He would come in dirty, so we’d go back there and get some uniforms to put on him,” Jackson said. “Later, his mother came and told me, ‘You did a beautiful job with my son.’ He went to college and got married, and every time he sees me now, he says he misses me. He says I was the thing that helped him move on.”

While Jackson’s work life was defined by her commitment to the district, her personal life is currently defined by her commitment to her husband of 56 years. The decision to retire was  born out of the need to care for him as he battles cancer and recovers from a grueling back surgery that nearly cost him the ability to walk.

“I didn’t plan to retire yet, but I had to. My husband has cancer, and he had a surgery on his back to remove it,” she said. “The doctors told him if he didn’t have the surgery, he wasn’t going to walk. Now I come home, I get him up, and we walk together. I tell him, You’ve got to crawl before you walk.’”

During a retirement celebration in December, where Jackson was honored with several service awards, Debora Rowley, executive director of Food and Child Nutrition Services, offered a moving tribute to Jackson’s unbreakable work ethic:

“For all but one day, there were no missed mornings, no sick days and no maybe tomorrow, just reliability and work ethic that sets the example for all of us here,” Rowley said. “Think about what 47 years mean: they mean generations of students and countless co-workers who have learned from her wisdom, her humor, and her reliability. They mean consistency, commitment, and love woven into the fabric of this entire department.”

In nearly half a century, Jackson has seen food services in the district change from cooking from scratch in old-fashioned appliances to preparing foods in kitchens outfitted with the modern technology that has eased labor in the kitchen and improved efficiency.Through the shifting menus and new buildings, her advice to those following in her footsteps remains timeless.

“They tell me, ‘I want to be like you,’ and I tell them to be themselves. They can’t be like me. I say they have to give something the district has never had before: them,” she said. “When they’re working, they don’t come here to make friends; they come here to do a job, and to do it well.”

Jackson started  2026 as a district retiree but her impact on the people she describes as family continues. From the administrators  to the students who still stop her in the grocery store to give her a hug, her legacy, as Rowley described it, isn’t just the meals she prepared. 

“It’s the comfort you gave, the mornings you brightened, and the students and staff you encouraged along the way,” Rowley said.

When bilingual science teacher Katharine Joss steps into her fourth-grade classroom at Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School, she sees stories, struggles, and untapped potential. It’s this deep belief in students’ possibilities that has shaped her path from chemistry labs to bilingual education, and most recently, receiving the 2025 William H. Cotton Scholarship.

“I did not want to be a teacher,” Joss admitted. “Going into college, I studied chemistry in undergrad. But during my postgrad fellowship, I realized I really loved education.” 

As the winner of the $20,000 Cotton scholarship, awarded yearly to one district team member by the Credit Union of Texas to honor the legacy of William H. Cotton for his 46 years of dedication and service to the district and the credit union. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is March 31. 

Before becoming a teacher, Joss worked through a fellowship with schools in Ghana, Ecuador, and other countries, investigating female empowerment through sports—a project born from her lifelong love for soccer. It was in Ghana, while speaking with a young girl whose life had been redirected by the power of literacy and sports, that Joss had her “aha” moment.

“I realized I really believe in the power of education as an agent of change,” Joss said. “My parents were the first in our entire extended family to go to college, and they instilled in us how much education can transform a life. Seeing that same impact in Ghana made me realize I wanted to be part of that change for future generations.”

After her fellowship, Joss found herself in Dallas and started her career as a teacher at John W. Runyon Elementary School and eventually found her way to Blanton three years later. 

“I really love the community and the families. I just like the support that we have for each other here,” she said. 

At Blanton, Joss faced a unique challenge: teaching in a bilingual “self-contained” model. While she had studied Spanish, it wasn’t her first language. She spent years honing her fluency, often motivated by the need to communicate with her husband’s Colombian family.

“At first, I thought it was like ESL—I was going to be teaching English. And then I just got moved to self-contained last year, so I have been teaching just math and science until they switched the whole program,” she said. As a self-contained bilingual teacher, Joss teaches all core subjects in both Spanish and English.

This personal hurdle became her greatest teaching tool. It allowed her to look at her students—many of whom are navigating the same linguistic frustrations—with a sense of empathy.

“I feel their struggle when they’re learning English because that’s exactly how I felt when I was learning Spanish,” she said. “It’s hard, and it’s frustrating. When my students see that I’ve put in the work to learn their language, it builds a bridge of trust. They realize that we’re learning together.”

This past summer, Joss discovered she had been named the recipient of the William H. Cotton Scholarship to further her educational journey with a post graduate degree. As the next step in career, Joss plans to use the funds to pursue a master’s degree in either bilingual education or cognitive science.

“I’ve been reading a bunch about how the brain stores information and memory,” she said. “It’s so important for teachers, but we don’t talk about it enough, especially in elementary schools. I want to learn the science of it so I can help students be more successful.”

But Joss’ goal isn’t just about grades; it’s about confidence. “My main teaching philosophy is believing in the potential of every child, no matter how much or how little they know when they enter my classroom,” she said. “Instilling that confidence in them so that they feel capable—that is my main goal.”

To support her students in achieving confidence, Joss has been proactive about securing resources. “I actually won a different grant to get an Accelerated Reader program to encourage kids to read more and spend less time on their phones,” she said. Her dedication also extends to building STEM opportunities through other grants.

For those considering a teaching career, Joss offers heartfelt advice: “The first year is really hard. I was humbled in the beginning because I thought it would just be fun and games, and it’s a lot harder than I imagined. But you are good enough. Keep going. You are making a difference, even if you feel undervalued.”

The Office of the Texas Secretary of State has updated the educational requirements for individuals applying for a Texas Notary Public commission in accordance with SB 693. All applicants must complete mandatory notary education and pass the required assessment before a notary application can be submitted.

These requirements became effective Jan. 1 and apply to all notaries in the district. Any Dallas ISD team member interested in becoming a  notary public will need to take an exam and pay $20 out of pocket. This fee can be reimbursed from the district with their supervisor’s pre-approval first. 

Required education overview

The Texas notary education includes:

• Approximately 45 minutes of instructional videos
• A 20-question open-book assessment
• A minimum passing score of 70%

Fees, Pre-Approval, and Reimbursement

• The SOS charges a $20 fee per assessment attempt, payable directly to the Texas Secretary of State.
• Team members seeking reimbursement, should submit their reimbursement request with the required documentation in iExpense in Oracle. 
• Pre-approval from their supervisor is required to be eligible for reimbursement of this fee. If pre-approval is not obtained, you may still complete the education and assessment at your own expense; however, reimbursement will not be guaranteed.
• Approved reimbursement requests must follow standard district reimbursement procedures and include proof of payment and assessment completion.

Steps to Complete Traditional Notary Education

1. Visit the Texas Secretary of State website and access the SOS portal.
   If you do not already have an account, create one by following the step-by-step instructions provided in the instructional video.
2. From the left-hand menu under “Self Service,” select “Notary Education,” then click “Traditional Notary Education.” Pay the required $20.00 assessment fee directly to the Texas Secretary of State.
3. Once you have successfully passed the assessment, notify Yvonne Uresti (yuresti@dallasisd.org)  via email and include confirmation of completion.
4. After confirmation is received, the team member will receive information about the process to submit the notary application via email.

Each year, students from across Dallas ISD participate in debate preparation. While debate students gather at the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance’s fall debate workshop for a full day of skill-building, topic understanding, and practice, fifth-grade students participate in an interactive debate workshop designed to build essential skills for debate. 

The overall goal of these preparation sessions is to prepare students for competitive debate and public speaking, honing their confidence, communication, and critical thinking skills both at the workshop and on their home campuses.

Another goal is to equip coaches with the resources they need to bring what they learned back to their campuses and prepare for spring competitions.

This fall, over 350 students from 58 schools attended the annual 5th Grade Debate Workshop at E.D. Walker Middle School. The full-day event included a large-group introductory session in the morning to prepare students for smaller practice sessions in the afternoon. Thanks to a new partnership between the University of Texas at Dallas and DUDA, 234 district students from 22 high schools attended this fall’s workshop on the UTD campus.

At the Walker workshop, three lead presenters opened the day in a large group setting. Every student took part in  a shared debate experience. Topics included Intro to Debate & Public Speaking Skills, How to Make an Argument, and Refutation & Reasoning.

The format encouraged participation, energy, and teamwork. It also laid the groundwork for students to learn the foundation of debate.

“The energy in the room was incredible. Students were eager to jump in and try debating for themselves,” said Michelle Read, Student Activities coordinator. “It was really wonderful to see our fifth graders building up their confidence and self-esteem,” she said.

The afternoon sessions allowed coaches to connect more deeply with their students and help them apply what they had learned in the morning in a hands-on way. Workshop leaders and coaches facilitated discussions on the topic students will competitively debate later in January: “Artificial Intelligence brings more good than harm.”

Following the discussion, students were able to begin the process of creating their very first affirmative speeches and engaging in practice sessions.

By the end of the day, students were able to deliver a full speech with all the core pieces of an argument: claims, evidence, and reasoning.

Seeing students collaborate, brainstorm with their debate teams, and deliver impassioned speeches about the main ideas highlighted the day’s immediate success.

“They had come so far in just one day,” said Jamile Bahra, workshop leader. “Their energy and enthusiasm showed how much students gained from this workshop experience,” Bahra said.

The first tournament takes place Jan. 31 and will center around the timely topic of Artificial Intelligence.

At Preston Hollow Elementary School, a new spirit of appreciation is transforming the school culture. With a focus on gratitude and positive relationships, Principal Ginette Peralta Suarez introduced GiveThx—an app-based initiative designed to help team members and students regularly recognize one another’s contributions. 

The initiative is currently being piloted by staff, but it is set to expand to students soon, making Preston Hollow the first campus in Dallas ISD to use the software. Funded by a grant secured directly through the GiveThx organization, the move to adopt the platform stemmed from a pressing need. 

“Our climate survey was not the best,” Suarez said. “I came in and it was low, and it has still trended low.” 

Suarez explained that while the campus consistently tries to celebrate team members, the focus remains on building deeper connections, which the app has helped to do.

“It’s more about trying to build that with the teachers, and also acknowledging [the positive], because many teachers will actively say how this is the best campus they have worked at,” she said, noting the difficulty of maintaining perspective. “When you’re in it, you don’t see it, right? The grass is always greener on the other side.”

To shift this perspective, Suarez began integrating the app into the start of every staff meeting. The results were immediate. By prompting a moment of gratitude at the beginning, the tone of the meetings shifted from administrative to appreciative. In just one recent meeting, staff exchanged 22 digital thank-you notes, sharing things that usually go unsaid.

“It changes our meetings, because we’re starting from a place of gratitude,” Suarez said.

The app isn’t just about giving thanks. It’s designed to encourage broader participation and self-reflection, Suarez said.

“When you log in on your phone, the app tracks your activity and prompts you if there is someone you haven’t thanked yet,” she said. “It automatically encourages you to engage with different people so that you aren’t just reaching out to the same ones all the time.”

The platform allows for easy customization to match Preston Hollow’s International Baccalaureate (IB) values. Instead of generic compliments, the thank-you notes are categorized by IB traits such as being principled, caring, risk-taker, or communicator.

“I want my IB words to be what we aim for,” Suarez explained. “It’s the language the adults use and the students use. For example, if a student misbehaves, we ask which part of the learner profile they weren’t embodying. Now, with GiveThx, we can highlight when they are embodying them. It allows us to tell our story through thanks.”

While team members are already seeing a 53% participation rate, the true goal is the student rollout. Suarez hopes the app will provide a safe, private space for students—particularly those who might be shy—to recognize one another.

“I want the students shouting out each other. Many times, conflicts between students come from a lack of communication; they hone in on the negative,” Suarez said. “This shifts the narrative to how someone helped them today. It’s a way to learn internet etiquette and technology etiquette by writing something positive about someone else.”

Far from a ‘one-and-done’ initiative, GiveThx includes 14 structured lessons per year designed to help students cultivate a deeper practice of gratitude. The gratitude lessons, Suarez explained, would be brief and easy to incorporate. 

“We ask our teachers to hold morning meetings, and that’s where these lessons fit in perfectly. Once a week, we go over a specific concept, and then we have the opportunity to practice it for the rest of the week,” she said.

Suarez considered potential challenges, especially how to ensure all students would be included once the feature opened to them. 

“The teachers will have the ability to review thank-you notes and track participation data to make sure everyone receives recognition,” she said. 

Responding to concerns about technology and social isolation among children, Suarez said, the app gives an opportunity with monitored access, said Suarez in response to potential concerns about technology and social isolation among children. It hones in on something positive. 

“You’re not sharing pictures; you’re just saying something nice about somebody else,’” she said. “It’s a good way to learn internet etiquette—to write a positive note.”

With enthusiastic participation from over half the staff already, and plans to involve non-teaching team members and tutors, Suarez envisioned GiveThx as a model for the district and beyond. 

“It just fosters a sense of gratitude. It changes your whole mindset,” she noted. “How about being grateful for what you do have?”

Looking ahead, Suarez hopes to potentially expand access to parents. “Since it’s an app base, we technically can invite parents. That may be something we do for year two,” she said.

When asked what her own “thank you note” to the Preston Hollow community would be, Suarez responds immediately that “my note would be about being caring. I would thank our staff, students, and parents for always caring for each other. It makes me a better advocate for a community that supports one another.” 

As a young man, Roberto Garcia, Spanish teacher and wrestling coach at Thomas Jefferson High School, often got in trouble for fighting in school. Though he chalked it up to low impulse control, he now views it as an early foreshadowing of his passion for wrestling.

Garcia’s early years were marked by family, transitions, and challenges. In 2005, his family immigrated to Dallas in pursuit of better employment opportunities. His mother, who taught embroidery to low-income women, and his father, a government employee in Durango, Mexico, sought a new beginning. The crossing itself was arduous for his mother and brother, traversing the desert for over a week, but for Garcia, the journey was less treacherous.

“I got on a bus, fell asleep, and woke up here,” Garcia said. “Looking back, my journey was super easy. When my kids tell me about their own journeys—getting caught, staying in detention centers, and spending months traveling from Central America through Mexico to the United States. Mine was a walk in the park.”

Arriving in Dallas, Garcia cycled through several elementary schools as his family looked for work. Adjusting to a new language and culture, he struggled to communicate with teachers. Yet it was precisely this challenge that planted the first seeds of his academic ambition. 

“I always felt, since the very first day of school in the United States, that it was my duty to represent Durango and represent my family and represent Mexico by doing the right thing here academically,” Garcia said.

Middle school marked a turning point—Garcia discovered a calling in education and service. As he acquired a better handle on English, he began helping other newcomers in class, experiencing the joy and empowerment of breaking linguistic barriers.

“Once I started learning the language, I really enjoyed helping newcomers translate in my eighth-grade Algebra class,” Garcia said. “I loved being able to translate and seeing how excited they would get. I’d tell them, ‘Two or three years ago, I couldn’t even defend myself in English—but if you focus on the language, opportunities will come.’”

At Thomas Jefferson High School, Garcia found community and opportunity. Through the Patriot Ambassador program, started by Johno Oberly, a ninth-grade algebra teacher, Garcia and a cohort of students worked to improve school culture—tackling issues like teacher turnover, giving feedback to educators, and fostering pride. 

“Mr. Oberly equipped us with the tools to identify issues within the school that we wanted to fix and then go about and fix them,” Garcia recalled. “And so he kept nurturing that interest in education, and most importantly, in leaving this school better for the next generation.”

Upon graduating from high school, navigating the American college system as an undocumented student, he faced financial aid inaccessibility, sparse opportunities, and, at home, the pain of his parents’ divorce. Thanks to the help of mentors and a benefactor who paid for his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals application, Garcia enrolled in the University of North Texas and eventually became the first in his family to graduate from a four-year university.

“I graduated college without taking out any loans; I paid for it all out of pocket,” Garcia said. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way, because the experience taught me the true value of money. It gave me a different perspective, and it’s why that degree means so much to me today.”

After stints in warehouse management and insurance, Garcia found his true calling back at Thomas Jefferson. In 2022, spurred by a Facebook post and his relentless desire to serve, he stepped into the classroom as an advanced Spanish teacher—and soon after, into the wrestling room as head coach.

Despite no formal wrestling background, Garcia drew from years of boxing and fierce determination. He leaned on colleagues, friends from ​George’s MMA and Boxing Gym, and his own faith to build a program that quickly grew in size and stature. Garcia’s wrestling program now includes over 50 students, both male and female. 

Garcia is especially proud of his female wrestlers, describing them as some of the toughest young athletes he’s ever met. Under his guidance, the program has grown to 27 girls, forming both junior varsity and varsity teams, and even producing the school’s first female college wrestler.

“I genuinely believe what attracts them most is the transformation they see in themselves—not just physically, but personally and mentally,” Garcia said. “If you have the discipline to maintain your weight, to make it through a season, and to wrestle while tired or hurt, you realize you can do anything in life.”

At the core of Garcia’s approach is authenticity. He believes in getting to know students as individuals, recognizing their challenges and supporting them holistically.

“There is no cookie-cutter system for teaching kids. It takes getting to know each individual—discovering what gets them going and what doesn’t,” he said.

His lessons mix structure and flexibility, encouraging autonomy, community, and hard work.

“I believe my philosophy is just engraved in the fact that hard work works, and that nothing is ever going to be given to us, and nobody’s coming to save us,” he remarked.

Garcia dreams of building not just wrestling champions, but resilient, compassionate leaders. He hopes to institutionalize wrestling throughout the community, open his own gym, and remain a pillar for Thomas Jefferson—all while inspiring students like himself to rise above their circumstances

“My ultimate goal is to provide opportunities for my students and give back to the community that has supported me,” Garcia said. “If I could have my kids remember me for one thing, it would just be that there is meaning in our suffering, and that if we want something in our life, we have to work for it. When things get tough, just get tougher.”

At Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, the theater department is growing its creative force. Ramad Carter, the school’s theater teacher, is drawing from his artistry and lifelong passion for education to prepare the next generation of actors to become authentic, expressive, and compassionate performers.

Carter studied theater in New York City, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in dramatic acting at The New School in 2017. While there, he trained in acting, directing, and playwriting while also performing professionally throughout the city.

“I love the open-mindedness of the city,” he said. “I saw some phenomenal shows, and I was constantly inspired by the ways people created. People explored art in so many ways, and it pushed me to dig deeper and figure out where I fit as an artist.”

Even while pursuing his artist career, Carter continued to teach. During his time in New York, he worked as a teaching artist and instructor at local after school arts programs.

“From my childhood until now, teaching has been the through line in my life that has always been there,” Carter said. “I’ve always admired my teachers and the impact they made. Fast forward to today, and I’m doing that work teaching full time.”

After returning home to Texas, he earned a master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of North Texas and continued to expand his work as an educator.

Now, in his fourth-year teaching at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, Carter is building strong foundations in storytelling and the production process. Students study monologues and plays while also gaining early exposure to the technical elements of theater, including lighting, costume design, stage design and assistant directing.

Carter has directed multiple student productions in collaboration with the school’s musical director and choreographer of such Broadway hits as Annie, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and 101 Dalmatians, and Sister Act.

Many of his students have seen Broadway musicals before they reach high school, a unique opportunity due to key partnerships with Forest Forward, Broadway Dallas and the AT&T Performing Arts Center. This early exposure to professional theater allows students to envision themselves in similar roles and imagine creative futures as performers, Carter said. Carter’s work has earned him recognition as the campus 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year. His passion for creative, student-centered instruction has established him not only as a leader in his classroom but also throughout the school. 

His dedication is especially reflected in student outcomes. In a single audition cycle, six middle school students from the department were accepted to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts for the 2024-2025 school year.

“I’m so inspired by my students,” Carter said. “They do things that are very difficult. What we learn is not just technical. I teach them to feel their emotions and connect to their characters in a way that makes their acting feel real.”   

Inside Carter’s classroom, a wall of playbills tells the story of what he has built. The collection includes productions he saw while living in New York City, shows his students have attended through Broadway Dallas, and even an Off-Broadway production written by a former college roommate and friend—Oh Happy Day.

These visual reminders serve as windows into the creative world students are learning to navigate.

“I pride myself in allowing my students to develop their own individuality and bring themselves to the work we do,” he said. “We build community. We depend on each other and take care of each other. I encourage individuality and kindness.”

Eight talented young orators will showcase their talents in the 34th Annual MLK Oratory competition, co-sponsored by Foley & Laudner LLP and Dallas ISD. And their sponsors will be there with them supporting their performance as they have all year. 

The competition was established in 1993 and is hosted each year in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day to encourage the community to remember the legacy of the civil rights leader. The competition will start at 11 a.m., on Jan. 16, at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. For those who can;t attend in person, it will be livestreamed at https://live.myvrspot.com/player2?udi=ZGFsbGFzaXNk&c=c3RyZWFtNA%3D%3D.

To prepare for the competition, fourth and fifth grade students are coached by Dallas ISD teachers, or sponsors. They work alongside the student, engaging them in the history of King to prepare an original speech that answers the question: “As a student of Dr. King’s Life, what message of hope do you think he would have for the world today?”

Meet the eight sponsors who coached their young orators to reach the finals.

 

Betty Glover, Clara Oliver Elementary School

Betty Glover is making history with the MLK Oratory Competition as the longest-standing sponsor. She has been involved since the competition’s first year in 1993. Throughout her 58-year career in Dallas ISD, she has spent most of her time as a talented and gifted teacher at Clara Oliver Elementary School and was named district teacher of the year in 1999.

“Clara Oliver was one of the first schools to be selected to participate,” she said. “I’ve been working with the students here at Clara Oliver since the very beginning of the competition.”

Each year, Glover works closely with her students, letting them share what they want to say in their speeches. She teaches how to write an essay and guides them in understanding persuasive writing, showing them that it is something they use every day in their conversations and interactions.  

“I love motivating students to read.” she said. “I love history, and I want to make sure they love it too. As the years go on, students can become farther removed from things they’ve learned. Competitions like this help them to remember those things and also learn what they didn’t know before.”

 

Rochelle Hailey, Solar Preparatory School for Girls

Rochelle Hailey became an MLK Oratory Competition Sponsor three years ago. She is a debate teacher at Solar Preparatory School for Girls and supports reading and language arts learning at her school.

Hailey and her student studied King’s writings and his presentation style. The student analyzed and made personal connections to the decisions King made during his life. They also practiced delivery and presence, even using the stage during lunch and school assemblies to practice speaking to large audiences and receive feedback from peers.

 “To serve as a sponsor is an honor,” she said. “I teach confidence, courage, and the understanding that every girl’s voice has power to speak their truth and share their light,” she said, often encouraging her students to believe that their voice is worthy of the space it occupies.

 Throughout the process, Hailey watched her student go from simply reciting words, to becoming the message.

 “When I reflect on the ultimate impact of this competition, I am reminded that the future is not waiting to be written; it is already finding its voice in every child that will embrace that stage next Friday.”

 

Shelley Wallace, Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center

Shelley Wallace teaches in the talented and gifted program at Paul L. Dunbar Learning Center. She has been an MLK Oratory Sponsor for the last eight years, with additional support from fellow teacher Gloria Douglas.

“My favorite part of the competition is when the students experience the culmination of their hard work as they recite their speeches with anticipation of making the finals,” she said.

From watching videos of King’s speeches, to library visits, to analyzing his quotes and comparing time periods, Wallace prepared her student to be fully equipped with the knowledge to not only write her speech but recite it in a way that reflects King.

“As a sponsor, I get to serve in a capacity that illuminates the contributions of a great historian and leader,” Wallace said. “I get the opportunity to bridge the gap between a piece of past history that was dark but now gives hope to the future.”

 

Melissa Clay, Arturo Salazar Elementary School

Melissa Clay has been an educator for 22 years. She is now the assistant principal at Arturo Salazar Elementary School and has been an oratory competition sponsor for the last four years.

Clay began coaching her student by sorting through what the student already understood about King. From there they researched his life and legacy. She then challenged her student to create something that was hopeful, purposeful and inspirational.

For Clay, stepping into the role as a sponsor means leading by example and requires her to show up fully and intentionally, just as she asks her students to do.

This experience connects one of her childhood memories, a time when she herself was a Dallas ISD student participating in a Black History Month oratory contest as a second grader.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but my teacher saw something in me that sparked a lifelong love for speaking and self-expression,” she said. “Today, I strive to be that same light for students.”

 

Carla Patrick, J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard

Carla Patrick has been a MLK Oratory Competition Sponsor for 10 years.

She prepared her student for the competition by introducing King’s speeches and reflecting on the messages. Gathering books, articles and videos, the student used the culmination of this research to write a speech. Patrick used techniques such as practicing in a mirror to focus on stage presence.

“I assured my student that they have the tenacity to see this through,” she said.

“Taking on this role as a MLK sponsor is important to me because it helps students with decision-making, communication, and goal setting,” she said. “It also encompasses debating, problem-solving, and comprehension, which are assets that go far beyond the MLK competition. It builds leaders and encourages community involvement.”

 

Rosalind Reece, Wilmer Hutchins Elementary School

Rosalind Reece, music teacher at Wilmer Hutchins Elementary School, is an oratory competition sponsor this year, and is committed to sharing King’s legacy with the next generation. She has been a part of Dallas ISD for 21 years.

Reece partnered with her student’s mother who helped prepare at home, while she worked with her student at school, always remembering to encourage her student of the progress he has made.

“My favorite part of this competition is seeing the students push hard to give their best,” she said. “From the preliminary level to the final level, the drive they have to accomplish their goal to win is thrilling. Seeing them persevere despite the nerves that naturally accompany competing is motivating.”

 

Angela Walker, Charles Rice Learning Center

Angela Walker has been a MLK Oratory Competition Sponsor for nine years, after receiving encouragement from her principal at the time, Alpher-Garrett Jones.

After supporting her student in practicing her speech, Walker has watched her student go from a beginner orator to an extraordinary finalist.

“I encouraged her by making sure she knew that she was chosen for a reason, for this time and for this moment, “Walker said. “I made sure she had adequate time to practice, and I reminded my student that I see the best in her even when she feels discouraged.”

She has been an oratory sponsor for all nine of her years as a reading language arts teacher at Charles Rice Elementary School.

 

Janice Wilson, Preston Hollow Elementary School 

Janice Wilson, a 30-year veteran of Dallas ISD, is a Functional Living Teacher at Preston Hollow Elementary, where she has taught for two years.

Wilson was a child during the years while King was building his legacy of justice, equality, courage, and nonviolence across the nation. Through this opportunity as an oratory sponsor, she is carrying on the impact that she witnessed in her childhood to the next generation.

Throughout the preparation process, Wilson, who has a doctorate from George Fox University, encouraged her students by celebrating progress, reinforcing strengths, normalizing nerves, and creating a supportive environment that helped the students step onto the stage feeling prepared and proud.

“There’s something powerful about seeing them become proud of their accomplishment—standing tall, delivering their words with strength, and realizing they’ve earned that moment,” she said. “I love seeing the cheers from the audience, the proud smiles from family members, and the pats on the back from classmates and teachers who recognize how hard they’ve worked. It becomes more than a competition. It turns into a celebration of their voice, their courage, and the community that lifts them up.

 

Coaching for teachers has traditionally been done through classroom observations. Dallas ISD is trying something new by integrating video-based coaching into middle-school math instruction, part of a grant-funded partnership with the Texas Instruments Foundation and the Communities Foundation of Texas. 

Math teachers from nearly 12 middle schools assembled in the library of Billy Earl Dade Middle School recently for the workshop, led by Aaron Daffern, director of math, to celebrate successes and address ongoing challenges in using technology to advance instruction.

The AI tool was designed to bolster professional growth and improve teaching. With its help, teachers can record their lessons and receive real-time insights into their teaching style and student responses. However, the district emphasizes that the technology is secondary to the teaching itself.

“While we are using it, it is simply a means to an end. Our ultimate goal is to improve instruction, increase participation, and foster academic discourse,” Daffern said. “We want to provide faster, more actionable feedback—because if it isn’t directly related to instruction and learning, it isn’t the best use of our time.”

During the workshop, attendees shared personal experiences with the AI tool, emphasizing its usefulness for generating quick math drills, streamlining lesson activities, and providing step-by-step guidance for both teachers and students. A leaderboard encourages peer-to-peer learning, friendly competition, and recognizes top-performing educators.

“For the most part, it is a very good resource. I like the idea of using it as a ‘talking stick’ with the kids,” said Jose Gutierrez, a math teacher at L.V. Stockard Middle School. “I think that would really improve student discourse.”

Teachers also used breakout sessions during the workshop to reflect on the limitations of AI. They noted that while the tool is excellent for analyzing “talking time” distributions in class videos, the technology still requires patience.

“The feedback takes a while; you have to keep asking for it. It’s just like any regular AI thing—it’s going to take a while, like any other AI program,” said Luis Martinez Monsivais, also a math teacher at Stockard.

Teachers expressed a desire for AI tools to improve visual outputs, such as diagrams and graphs, recommending platforms for more complex visual tasks. In response, the workshop showcased new technology rollouts from over the holidays, including an audio-synced notes enhancement designed to make the platform more user-friendly.

As the district leans further into video-based coaching, privacy remains at the center of progress. The current AI tool, for example, ensures that teachers and students are always protected through high-level encryption.

Throughout the workshop, teachers remained enthusiastic about the AI’s features, describing them as tools that are truly transforming the profession.

“A few things I find really cool about it are the ability to download a lesson, upload it, and then annotate it,” said Anaka Brooks, math teacher at Piedmont Global Academy. “I’m still mastering the annotation process, but being able to annotate while casting my iPad to the screen is a total game-changer.”