CCHS future educators school competition at regional conference

Special to Leader-Press

Hopes are high for CCHS senior Ashley Prax. After being a national contender at the Future Educators of America conference in 2015, she has taken her first step to returning to the national stage this year. The organization, which has changed its name to Educators Rising, will also see a slew of new winners. Prax is determined to be one of them.

“Competing at regionals was the first step in achieving my goal of being the best in the country,” Prax said. “My goal is not only to return to the national level this year, but to bring top honors back home to Copperas Cove.”

More than 100 students competed at the regional Texas Association of Future Educators conference held at the Killeen Career Center. Cove fared well, with 17 of 18 students who competed, qualifying for the state contest.

CCHS TAFE member Davi Manyen captured first place in both the Recruitment & Marketing and Ethical Dilemma competitions.

“Going into compete was nerve racking even with all the weeks of planning and getting ready beforehand. But once in the room with judges and seeing them there for you, (that) made it easier.”

Conference speaker Amber Lynn Diaz stressed the importance of education by sharing her personal and professional accomplishments, inspiring students, like CCHS TAFE reporter Tristan Murray, to achieve their goals.

“Dr. Diaz really inspired me and reminded me of one reason I want to teach, one reason I work so hard, and one reason I competed at this competition, “ Murray said. “We are glad that Dr. Diaz can remind future educators why they choose that career even after a long and stressful day of competing.”

Area TAFE regional qualifiers will compete at the state conference at the University of Houston on Jan. 30