TALE’s Texas Education Leadership in Literacy Award
This award was established in 2016 by TALE’s Advocacy Development Committee. The purpose of this award is to recognize the efforts of a leader in Texas who promotes literacy for all students.
Autumn-Joi Wilson is a teacher at the Newman International Academy. She is also a founder of The Village Thinker, Inc. which is a free, community-based, after-school program for students who need additional support in literacy skills in the Ft. Worth area
Dr. Angela Venters is the Region 7 Literacy Specialist
2022
Joan is a librarian who works tirelessly to bring literacy to life in all content areas while curating a library collection that reflects all students. Every year she brings in visiting authors who enrich our content standards, show real-world applications of research, and who bring reading and writing to life for our students. She is a wealth of instructional knowledge, balancing traditional English with young adult texts.
Katherine Rogge has worked hard to bring balanced literacy to her team and campus. Her classroom serves as a Lab Classroom for other teachers on her campus to demonstrate a balanced literacy program in action and how to set goals for students in both reading and writing.
2021
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Dr. Kay Wijekumar developed an innovative research-based approach called Intelligent Tutoring for the Structure Strategy (ITSS) that helps grade school students to better comprehend content area reading. She has also adapted this program for English Language learners (SWELL). Several studies on ITSS have been reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse and found to Meet Standards without Reservations.
Prior to the pandemic, introduced the idea to the directors of the district literacy initiative of our district partnering with the community to install little free libraries throughout our town in order to encourage recreational reading, with the community modeling literacy valuation for our students. She is currently a district liaison for for literacy initiative, maintaining communication with project benefactor, the friends group of public library, as well as the student groups involved in the production and distribution of the libraries and books: construction classes, NHS, PALS, Art Club, and Technical Theater.
2020
Dr. Robin D. Johnson, an Assistant Professor at TAMU-CC, is the Field-Based Experience Coordinator for the CILS Department in the COEHD. She is also the Program Director for Barrio Writers, a Diamond level Abydos Literacy Facilitator, and the author of the teacher practitioner book, Time to Write. Her other professional roles include Vice-President of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers, past President of the Texas Association for Literacy Education, Co-Editor of the ALER Yearbook, and former Co-Chair of the ATE/NAPDS Clinical Fellows Symposium. She also served as faculty advisor to the TAMU-CC Student Reading Council for three years. Her research interests include transliteracy, transformative practice in writing instruction, and field-based experiences in teacher education.
Jennifer Burchfiel has worked in public education in Texas for 35 years. She began her career as an elementary teacher in Dallas ISD and then continued her work in Irving ISD. In 2018, Jennifer returned to Dallas ISD and took on the role of Director of Instructional Strategy for the Early Learning Department. In this job she oversees work for all content areas for grades PreK-2 including assessments, curriculum, and professional development. Jennifer has a passion for literacy and strives to give teachers the tools they need to teach these youngest of students how to read and become lifelong learners. Jennifer has led several district-wide literacy initiatives in her current role including the implementation of new ELAR/SLAR TEKS, curriculum resources for both K-2 and PreK and as Dallas ISD became one of the first districts in the state to implement the new Reading Academies for K-3 teachers and administrators.
2018
At the 2019 TALE Conference in Waco, the Advocacy Development Committee recognized Dr. Jodi Pilgrim for her work with pre-service teachers, service to TALE, and significant contributions in the field of literacy
2017
Dr. Carol Wickstrom
North Star of Texas Writing Project
From our newsletter:
Selected for her work with public school teachers through the North Star of Texas Writing Project, Dr. Carol Wickstrom upholds TALE’s mission of commitment to education and literacy. Wickstrom is a faculty member of the University of North Texas and teaches literacy courses at the graduate and undergraduate level in the Language, Literacy, Bilingual and ESL Program. As director of the North Star of Texas Writing Project, Wickstrom guides professional development for hundreds of participating teachers through summer writing institutes utilizing the writer’s workshop approach. Wickstrom believes this approach helps teachers to grow as educators and learners while providing a gateway to a larger community of writing professionals. The North Star of Texas Writing Project is part of the university-based sites of the National Writing Project.
North Star of Texas Writing Project
From our newsletter:
Selected for her work with public school teachers through the North Star of Texas Writing Project, Dr. Carol Wickstrom upholds TALE’s mission of commitment to education and literacy. Wickstrom is a faculty member of the University of North Texas and teaches literacy courses at the graduate and undergraduate level in the Language, Literacy, Bilingual and ESL Program. As director of the North Star of Texas Writing Project, Wickstrom guides professional development for hundreds of participating teachers through summer writing institutes utilizing the writer’s workshop approach. Wickstrom believes this approach helps teachers to grow as educators and learners while providing a gateway to a larger community of writing professionals. The North Star of Texas Writing Project is part of the university-based sites of the National Writing Project.
Letricia "Puff" Niegos
Certified Academic Language Specialist
From our newsletter:
Inspired by her son's challenges with dyslexia, Letricia “Puff” Niegos, a generous philanthropist, partnered with West Texas A&M University's College of Education and Social Sciences to establish the West Texas A&M University Center for Learning Disabilities. Recognized as a "center of excellence" for learning disabilities within the Texas A&M University system, the Center provides resources and support for parents of children with learning disabilities through monthly workshops. The Center also assists teachers in understanding learning disabilities so that they may help their students cope and learn in the classroom. Puff is a certified academic language therapist and has volunteered over 1,000 hours as a literacy interventionist with students who struggle with literacy.
Certified Academic Language Specialist
From our newsletter:
Inspired by her son's challenges with dyslexia, Letricia “Puff” Niegos, a generous philanthropist, partnered with West Texas A&M University's College of Education and Social Sciences to establish the West Texas A&M University Center for Learning Disabilities. Recognized as a "center of excellence" for learning disabilities within the Texas A&M University system, the Center provides resources and support for parents of children with learning disabilities through monthly workshops. The Center also assists teachers in understanding learning disabilities so that they may help their students cope and learn in the classroom. Puff is a certified academic language therapist and has volunteered over 1,000 hours as a literacy interventionist with students who struggle with literacy.
2016
Barbara Cargill
Texas State Board of Education Member, District 8
Texas State Board of Education Member, District 8
Patricia “Pat” Hardy
Texas State Board of Education Member, District 11
Texas State Board of Education Member, District 11
2017
Judge Joe Benavides
Justice of the Peace, Precinct One, Place One
Nueces County, TX
Justice of the Peace, Precinct One, Place One
Nueces County, TX
