District Hosts TAFE Banquet

Disponible en: Español

Teachers, sponsors, principals, school board members, the superintendent and district administrators showed up to support student members of the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) during a banquet held April 11 at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center. Franklin Higgins, director of career and technical education for AISD, welcomed everyone.

During the event, TAFE sponsors/advisors — Angela Hollier and Cindy Ramírez of Aldine High School, Jessica Gray and Miguel Salazar of Carver High School, Joanna Lockridge and Leroy Toliver of Davis High School, Jamie Kujawa and Anshawna “A.J.” General of Eisenhower High School, Jennifer Lorance and David Pyle of MacArthur High School, and Donna Conerly and Carolyn Cross of Nimitz High School — highlighted the achievements of their chapter.

One student, Licida Canan of Eisenhower High School, read her speech entitled “Planting the Seeds for the Future,” which placed second at the state Teach Tomorrow Summit.

Two other highlights of the evening included Kathy Flores and Eva Lanczos, this year’s Elementary/Intermediate Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year. They shared words of encouragement with the students for choosing a career that inspires and motivates children and reminded them of the many rewards that come from teaching.

The event is a means to encourage future educators to return to Aldine ISD upon earning their college degrees to teach. It is known affectionately as “growing our own teachers,” related Jeff McCanna, director of human resources for AISD. The culminating event of the night had to be when 100 senior TAFE members received letters of intent from Aldine ISD’s Human Resources Department.

To end the evening, Dr. Wanda Bamberg, superintendent of schools, thanked everyone Lanczos and Flores for taking part in encouraging students to pursue teaching. She also praised the students for wanting to make a difference in the lives of children and for choosing a noble profession.