The Rice Education department, part of the Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies’ Center for Education, hosted its annual “Life in Schools” gathering on Saturday, April 18, turning Rice’s Herring Hall into a forum for practical ideas and professional reflection, as undergraduate and graduate students shared research, poster presentations and roundtable presentations grounded in real classroom experience. The event drew Rice faculty and staff alongside Houston-area teachers and administrators, as well as friends, family and education advocates, creating a collaborative setting focused on the challenges, progress and possibilities shaping education across the region. As Rice Center for Education leaders emphasized, the day provides future educators with a firsthand platform to demonstrate the knowledge and confidence they have developed at Rice.
Teaching excellence honored
The program opened with the first annual Carolyn Gurklis Huff Teaching Excellence Award, created by her husband, Harrell Huff, in memory of the Rice alumna whose life reflected scholarship, service and a deep commitment to students. Huff ’63 spent 33 years teaching English at Brazoswood High School, where she became known for her AP English instruction, warmth and enduring relationships with students.
This year’s award went to Austin Gilkeson, an English teacher at Houston’s Westside High School and a graduate of Rice Education’s Alternative Teacher Certification program. Gilkeson, who is also a young adult author with a new book, Maggie the Dread, due out this summer, said the Rice program gave him rigorous preparation and tools for teaching diverse Houston classrooms.
“Receiving the award is very humbling,” said Gilkeson. “Carolyn Gurklis Huff was the kind of teacher we all aspire to be. She had a lasting impact on generations of students, and I hope to do the good work to be worthy of this award in her name.”
Rice also recognized the longstanding support of the Whitford/Winkler Family Endowment Scholarship, which helped make the event’s student-centered celebration possible through broader scholarship and funding support.
Christal Burnett Sánchez, director of Rice Education, noted that more than 40 percent of Rice Education students received funding through scholarships, endowments and Glasscock School support this year, underscoring the program’s commitment to access and opportunity.
Classroom research in focus
The heart of the event was a series of student presentations showcasing the diverse and meaningful ways today’s educators are making an impact in their classrooms and schools. Poster presenters included Nicholas Mendoza on student interest, teacher agency and instructional coherence; Thien Nguyen on reducing tardiness through positive interventions; and Maxine Trice McCarty on AI in education and collaborative coaching. Their topics highlighted how Rice Education students are applying research methods to practical problems while learning to translate theory into classroom action.
Round tables expanded that conversation with presentations on art education, special education, lesson design, assessment, school leadership, district planning and more. Presenters included Ashley Dotson on student-led rubrics in the middle school art classroom; Teresa Otwell on digital art integration in a Title I art classroom; Samuel Regalado on foundations of Houston public education; Victoria Franklin on best practices for students who receive special education services; John “Jack” Viles on feedback loops and the importance of closing a lesson; Mitch Blakely on digital organization; Christopher Patton on the impact of review and relationship on summative assessment scores; Xitlali Mujica on how learning, culture and social factors are connected; Jeannette Hu on the impact of daily standardized practice on different populations; Maxine Trice McCarty on building sustainable International Baccalaureate programs in underserved Houston ISD communities; Patricia Sepulveda on the Northside feeder pattern as a locomotive magnet program; Nicole Jennings on principalship and leading a campus through change; Mindalyn Galli on a new educational blueprint for Houston proposing East End Academy; Lidia Hernandez on rising together through a new blueprint for leadership in Gulfton; and Nathan Chen on building a geographically logical feeder pattern in Caralville, Iowa.
Rookie teacher recognition
Among the presenters was Jeannette Hu, a social studies teacher at Sartartia Middle School in Fort Bend ISD, who was recently named her campus’s Rookie Teacher of the Year. Hu will graduate from Rice’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program this May, and she described the program’s district-based fieldwork as a key factor in helping her build confidence before stepping into her first full-time year of teaching. Her presentation, “An Apple a Day: The Impact of Daily Standardized Practice on Different Populations,” reflected the same practical, classroom-focused approach that shaped her preparation at Rice.
“Being named ‘Rookie Teacher of the Year’ on my campus means a lot to me because it reflects all of the hard work I’ve put into supporting my students and growing as a teacher,” Hu said. “The MAT program played a huge role in that by giving me real classroom experience and preparing me for the day-to-day challenges of teaching. I’m grateful that it helped set me up for success in a school and district that I truly love.”
Sánchez said Hu is the latest Rice Education student to earn a rookie teacher honor, extending a streak that has lasted more than a decade.
“We design our programs to prepare educators to make an immediate impact on their campuses,” Sánchez said. “Hu is the latest Rice Education student to earn such an honor, and that really reflects our emphasis on practice-based training, close support and strong partnerships with local districts.”
Looking ahead
The event closed as a celebration of both present accomplishment and future promise, with Rice Education students demonstrating how research, mentorship and classroom experience can shape stronger schools. From honoring exemplary teaching to showcasing emerging classroom practices, “Life in Schools” reinforced the Center for Education’s role as a hub for preparing teachers and leaders for Houston’s diverse learning communities. In the words of Rice leaders, the work on display reflected a simple but powerful idea: great teaching changes lives.
"Events like 'Life in Schools' remind us that the future of education lies in the voices and visions of educators," said Brenda Rangel, assistant dean of the Rice Center for Education. "By celebrating their insights and honoring excellence, we not only showcase the strength of Rice Education but also inspire the next wave of educators to lead with impact in Houston's schools."
To learn more about Rice’s Center for Education, visit: centerforeducation.rice.edu.