Future Teachers Honored at WT Ceremony

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M University celebrated future additions to the ranks of regional educators at a special ceremony.

Seventy-six students have been newly admitted into WT's educator preparation program and were celebrated at a pinning ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on the Canyon campus.

Pinning ceremonies, such as those in the nursing profession, are a symbolic marking of the occasion when students are formally welcomed into their chosen profession, said Dr. Gary Bigham, dean of the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences.

"This symbolic ceremony represents aspiring teachers' initial step into the profession," Bigham said. "It is a time for the teacher candidates, their families, and those who inspired them to choose teaching as their profession to celebrate them."

Participating students have completed at least 45 hours of courses, have at least a 2.75-grade point average, have completed the Texas Success Initiative, and have filed an official degree plan.

Students recognized at the ceremony include:

Hance Albracht, senior, agriculture, Amarillo; Kendra Arnold, PACE, education, Cameron; Leidi Avalos, junior, education, Loop; Gracie Back, junior, math education, Stinnett; Bayleigh Baker, junior, agriculture education, Buffalo; Leslie Bell, senior, early education, Childress; Evan Blankenship, junior, education, Amarillo; Lauren Blashill, PACE, general studies, Canyon; Fisher Boone, senior, music education, Monahans; Bethany Bradley, junior, agriculture education, Lazbuddie; Alysia Brewer, PACE, applied arts and sciences, Tulia; Keely Burkhalter, senior, music education, Hereford; Hannah Burney, sophomore, education, Petty; Garren Bustamante, senior, education, Amarillo; Micah Cappo, senior, history education, Dalhart; Emily Carlson, senior, agriculture education, Hereford; Erica Chavez-Gassett, PACE, applied arts and sciences, Borger; Conor Christensen, senior, agriculture education, Riverton, Wyoming; Braxton Cooksey, junior, theater education, Dumas; Valeria Corralez, junior, education, Friona; Maddilynn Daniel, senior, agriculture education, Childress; Macy Davis, junior, education, Dimmitt; Ludim Diaz Rodriguez, PACE, Spanish, Dimmitt; Annika Dumaoal, PACE, Amarillo; Kortney England, junior, English/language arts and reading education, Amarillo; Madison Flores-Salazar, senior, art education, Lamesa; Taetem Fox, senior, education, Seguin; Dustin Furlong, junior, education, Amarillo; Ashley Garcia, junior, bilingual education, Perryton; Lauren Garrison, sophomore, education, Childress; Michael Genera, senior, music education, El Paso; Jillian Gentile, junior, agriculture education, Winnie; Grace Gore, senior, education, Canyon; Ava Haddock, junior, education, Canyon; Avery Hill, sophomore, art education, Odessa; Jordan Johnson, junior, education, Amarillo; Chesney Jones, senior, agriculture education, Gilmer; Kaylie Kashuba, junior, education, Amarillo; Kenna Klameth, junior, early childhood education, Lubbock; Crystal Lara, junior, education, Amarillo; and Lauren Lichtie, sophomore, education, Amarillo.

Also, Estella Martinez, senior, education, Amarillo; Kayla Metzger, sophomore, early childhood education, Estancia, New Mexico; Eleisha Miller, PACE, Amarillo; Jacey Montgomery, senior, education, Pampa; Annelise Mora, senior, music education, Burleson; Alyssa Morales, junior, education, Tulia; Alyssa Mosley, junior, education, Amarillo; Arianna Mosqueda, senior, education, Amarillo; Jazlyn Nava, junior, education, Dumas; Crimsun Nunn, sophomore, education, Amarillo; Emma Parker, junior, agriculture education, Spearman; Moriah Pearson, junior, education, Amarillo; Valeria Perez, senior, bilingual education, Amarillo; Adrian Perez, junior, music education, Laredo; T'mika Powell, senior, education, Tulia; Hannah Reed, junior, agriculture education, Vernon; McKenzie Riddle, senior, agriculture education, Trinidad, Colorado; Aaralyn Rodriguez, junior, early childhood education, Llano; Noemi Ruiz, senior, education, Amarillo; Leslie Ruvalcaba, junior, Spanish education, Amarillo; Samarrae Salazar, junior, education, Plainview; Arianna Sanchez, senior, sport and exercise science, Gruver; Natalie Sisneros, junior, education, Amarillo; Adrian Solis, senior, sports and exercise science, Big Spring; Luke Southerington, junior, special education, Oldham, England; Traycee Stewart, sophomore, music education, Bowie; Dalton Tallant, senior, sports and exercise science, Amarillo; Camille Thomas, junior, early childhood education, Bridge City; Diego Tino, sophomore, early childhood education, Hereford; Ashlyn Verner, senior, education, Amarillo; Jeanelle Walden, senior, education, San Diego, California; Lily Wambold, sophomore, education, Canyon; Brody White, junior, agriculture education, Farwell; Brandy Williams, sophomore, elementary education, Perryton; and Corey Zimmerman, junior, agriculture education, Rocky Ford, Colorado.

WT opened in 1910 as West Texas State Normal College, a school that trained teachers. Today, about 75 percent of all teachers and administrators throughout the Panhandle region have at least one degree or certificate from WT.

Most recently, WT has launched the Educators Excellence Initiative, which offers half-off tuition and mandatory fees for all full-time teachers, administrators, librarians, nurses, counselors or paraprofessionals in Regions 16, 17 and 18 Education Service Centers, as well as full-time employees of the ESCs. The offer also is extended to the same employees at 1A and 2A schools and community colleges around the state.

Serving the people of Texas, primarily in rural regions, is the key mission of the University's long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign, which is now winding down, has raised more than $175 million.

About West Texas A&M University

A Regional Research University, West Texas A&M University is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men's and women's athletics programs.

Photo: Diego Tino, a sophomore early childhood education major from Hereford, receives a pin marking his admission into West Texas A&M University's educator preparation program from Dr. Gary Bigham, dean of the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences.

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