Crystal Wise
Founding Father John Adams once said, “There are two types of education … one should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.” The Top Teachers of 2023 share this key understanding, which might explain why peers, parents, and students agree: These educators are leading the way in the work to empower the next generation.
A piece of advice often passed down from teacher to teacher is “build a relationship with each student” — something easier said than done. No matter the age, grade, or subject being taught, each 2023 Top Teacher has found a way, their own special way, to ensure their students receive far more than a simple letter grade.
Crystal Wise
Meredith Cunningham
Fort Worth Country Day
Every elementary student at Fort Worth Country Day is a student of Meredith Cunningham’s — at least as far as she’s concerned. Of course, it’s those assigned to her class who are in for a special treat. From the first day of school, these students become aware that they are now part of Cunningham’s family. For 15 years, Cunningham has worked closely with parents to create a classroom community that encourages students to both learn and assist. You see, in Cunningham’s class, every student gains an understanding that they are part of a team that must help one another achieve success.
Crystal Wise
Ann-Marie McCollough
All Saints’ Episcopal School
When Ann-Marie McCollough arrived at All Saints’ Episcopal School, she was determined to make sure every student benefited from her knowledge and expertise in project-based learning and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). McCollough took the time to truly bond with the All Saints’ family, a school that emboldens students to achieve greatness. This vision for success begins in the lower s chool, where the Exploratorium provides hands-on learning for their students, growing their eagerness to learn daily.
Crystal Wise
Leo Vaughns Jr.
Kirkpatrick Middle School
Whether they have him as a teacher or not, when students enter Kirkpatrick Middle School, Leo Vaughns Jr. is the first to greet them. For generations, students have referred to Vaughns as an “uncle” or “father” or even “Papa Vaughns”; he’s a mentor for every student in the school. While those attending his class will learn the lesson for the day, they will also learn how to be the best version of themselves. One can feel the impact of Vaughns’ investment well beyond the walls of Kirkpatrick Middle School, where he will continue to teach multitudes of youngsters to lead with love.
Crystal Wise
Kendall Ladner
Briscoe Elementary
Briscoe Elementary is a school where learning is considered the gateway for students to better understand their own world and the world around them. The prekindergarten teacher Kendall Ladner brings her love of culture and learning to her students by way of books and activities, where Ladner is able to join in and witness her students’ growth. While Briscoe is where Ladner began her teaching career, she’s in no hurry to leave and plans to enlighten little minds in the Morningside community for years to come.
Crystal Wise
Lindsey Lane
Oakridge School
Lindsey Lane walks into her art classroom at Oakridge School every day ready to welcome students with an open mind. Lane’s goal is to make students feel comfortable and confident with who they truly are while exploring new ways to express who they are growing to be. While many students begin the school year as novices with little interest in art, as the year goes on, her class transforms into a laboratory of risk taking on ambitious projects her students previously thought were unachievable.
Crystal Wise
Emily Wardlaw
Southwest Christian School
As the junior Bible teacher at Southwest Christian School, Emily Wardlaw has a keen understanding of her students and meets them where they are as teenagers. She takes the time to understand everyone’s distinct perspective and gives each student the individual attention required to achieve their goals. Ultimately, upon graduation, Wardlaw wants her students to enter the next chapter of their lives with confidence of self and a better understanding of the world around them.
Crystal Wise
Jennifer Tuff
North Side High School
Learning about science is just the beginning when Jennifer Tuff is the one teaching. Tuff believes in nurturing students’ curiosity and helping them connect what they learn about science to other subjects, themselves, and the world around them. Her classroom discussions work to endear students to ask the big questions.
Crystal Wise
Will Mitchell
Arlington Heights High School
Once an Arlington Heights student himself, Will Mitchell, who teaches agriculture and is the sponsor for Future Farmers of America, motivates his students to learn far beyond simply memorizing text they see in a book. Mitchell’s hope is that students will develop skills that serve them in all walks of life. Similar to his experiences as a student, Mitchell is continuing a long tradition of a stellar FFA program and agriculture department at Arlington Heights.
Crystal Wise
Kenneth Scagel
Cassata Catholic High School
At Cassata Catholic High School, educator Kenneth Scagel delights in the opportunity to teach in a classroom where each student is working on something different. Any given day, Scagel might be teaching up to five subjects in one period, a feat he does with grace and a knowledge of exactly what each student needs. While this might seem overwhelming to some, Scagel has the tools and the discipline to ensure every student succeeds.
Crystal Wise
Chayla Caires
Young Women’s Leadership Academy
of Fort Worth
For the art students of Chayla Caires at Young Women’s Leadership Academy of Fort Worth, they know that Caires is both cheering them on and challenging them to push boundaries with every piece they create. Exploration and a can-do spirit are key to classroom success, as Caires goes outside of the typical schooling to introduce students to local artists and art spaces. Students and parents alike rave about Caires’ ability to encourage each child to broaden their skills and to increase their understanding of art.
Crystal Wise
Morgan Pyles
Green Valley Elementary
Having a deep sense of gratitude, after graduating from Birdville High School, Morgan Pyles knew she wanted to give back to the place that provided her foundational education. A few years later, she would return to Birdville ISD, becoming a teacher at Green Valley Elementary, where she emphasizes the importance of creating a calming environment for her students. Thanks to pursuing a career in education running in her family, Morgan knew from Day One she wanted to be a teacher. And she knew when she graduated high school precisely where she wanted to teach. One could say she’s living the dream.
