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Two MSU students and one alumna recognized as Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow

May 31, 2023 by Savannah A. Keller

Two Missouri State University students and one alumna earned the 2023 Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow distinction by Missouri Milken Educators.

Victoria Dillon, Jessica Smith and Kira Vaughn were recognized because they are innovative educators who will positively impact the future of the profession.

They are among 10 inductees to receive the designation across the state.

All inductees will receive a year of coaching and mentorship and will have access to the Missouri Milken Educators network.

Victoria Dillon

Dillon graduated in December 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in special education. She is now a special education teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary in Liberty, Missouri.

She has advanced critical thinking skills and excels at working with students of diverse backgrounds, abilities and disabilities.

“She’s an intelligent and highly motivated individual. She has a wonderful rapport with people of all ages, especially at the elementary school level,” said Marie McAdams, her university supervisor for student teaching.

“Her ability to connect with her SPED students and her talent for teaching simple concepts are superior.”

Jessica Smith

Smith will graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in music education. She is currently student teaching at Weller Elementary and Central High School in Springfield.

She is meticulous in her preparation of content, pedagogical sequence and knowledge of students.

“Jessica plans and implements engaging lessons seemingly effortlessly,” said Vicky Scott, her university supervisor for student teaching. “She’s organized and self-motivated. Her sunny disposition draws students into her processes.”

Smith will teach at Bingham Elementary in Springfield in the fall.

Kira Vaughn

Vaughn will graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She is currently student teaching at John Thomas School of Discovery in Nixa, Missouri, as part of MSU’s Internship Academy program.

She excels as an intern because of her high student engagement, growth mindset, strong relationships with students and more.

“She’s sought out by others in the building to spend time in their classrooms,” said Sara Tipton, director of the Internship Academy program. “She’s an exceptional student teacher.”

Vaughn plans to stay in Missouri to teach in the fall.

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Missouri State University will connect young people across regions with support from the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative

April 25, 2023 by Strategic Communication

The Stevens Initiative announced Missouri State University is one of 15 schools, higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations to receive funding to run virtual exchange programs that connect young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Missouri State’s Global Teacher Education Exchange brings new and future K-12 educators from Libya, Morocco and the United States into a vibrant professional learning community where they engage in cross-cultural collaboration and prepare to teach for global understanding.

About MSU’s teacher exchange program

Global Teacher Education Exchange is implemented by Missouri State and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.

Missouri State’s Global Teacher Education Exchange integrates virtual exchange into teacher preparation programs in Libya, Morocco and the United States. Through the exchange, new and future educators from a variety of backgrounds engage with each other on local and global issues in K-12 education.

With their cohorts from other countries, they learn to teach for global understanding, and they create and share educational resources about their countries and cultures. As a result, participants enter their careers with experiences in cross-cultural collaboration and with stronger pedagogical skills.

“It’s thrilling to watch future educators from different cultures learn with and from each other. It’s clear that they want to teach for global understanding, and we’re honored to be a part of their journey,” said Dr. Jennice McCafferty-Wright, Global Teacher Education Exchange coordinator and education professor at MSU.

McCafferty-Wright and Dr. Minor Baker, the exchange’s project director and education professor at MSU, will soon travel to North Africa to begin working with Moroccan teacher trainers.

About Stevens Initiative

The Stevens Initiative is an international leader in virtual exchange, which brings young people from diverse places together to collaborate and connect through everyday technology. Created in 2015 as a lasting tribute to Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, the Initiative invests in virtual exchange programs, shares research, resources and promising practices to improve impact and advocates for broader adoption.

Learn more about the grant

Cheery Charlie and child life

February 7, 2023 by Savannah A. Keller

Avi Adler was lying unconscious underneath a truck when his family found him in June 2020.

A delivery truck driver had reversed without looking, striking Avi on the 20th mile of his bike ride. After the accident, the 18-year-old was rushed to the hospital, where he awoke with broken bones and a concussion.

A child life specialist helped Avi while he was hospitalized, making him and his family feel calmer and at ease.

Missouri State University student Tamar Adler was inspired by how much the specialist helped her brother through his traumatic injury.

“The accident changed Avi, and it also changed me,” Tamar said. “It made me realize I wanted a career that benefits other people.”

Since the accident, Avi has fully recovered. Tamar changed her career trajectory from fashion to child life.

Bringing joy with Cheery Charlie

Tamar had to think outside the box to find ways to volunteer in this field since it was in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I started making craft bags and donated them to the child life departments at local St. Louis hospitals as a way to volunteer from home,” Tamar said. “The bags help kids be creative and experience normalcy while in the hospital.”

She named her volunteer project Cheery Charlie and turned it into an official Missouri nonprofit corporation.

“I chose the name because I had just gotten a puppy named Charlie, and Charlie makes me cheery,” she said.

Since the inception of Cheery Charlie in January 2021, Tamar has donated over 6,000 craft bags to children in St. Louis hospitals.

Tamar won the St. Louis Jewish Light 2022 Unsung Hero Award for her time, service and commitment to the St. Louis Jewish community through Cheery Charlie.

Learn more about Cheery Charlie

Furthering her passion through education

Tamar enrolled in Missouri State’s online child life graduate program two years after her brother’s accident.

She plans to graduate in May 2027. As a future child life specialist, Tamar will help children and their families deal with the challenges of trauma, loss, long-term illness or injury and more.

She said the knowledge she has gained about child life through her program has been invaluable for her future and nonprofit.

“Being able to study child life at MSU while working on Cheery Charlie has been so powerful to me,” Tamar said.

“My time at MSU has only allowed me to love child life even more.”

Despite the program being online, Tamar feels a great connection to her fellow child life students and her advisor, Dr. Lindsey Murphy.

“Tamar is a natural,” said Murphy, assistant professor of childhood education and family studies at Missouri State.

“She exudes joy and many characteristics and skills needed to be a great child life specialist. I have no doubt she will continue to touch many patients, families and staff throughout her career.”

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USOA Mrs. Washington takes on teaching

December 8, 2022 by Savannah A. Keller

Emily Skeers was competing for Miss Lewis County 2008 when she fell sick with a debilitating illness.

She was eventually diagnosed with a rare form of Crohn’s disease that changed the course of her future.

“I wanted to be an opera singer. Everyone’s experience with Crohn’s is different, but my experience made this dream impossible,” the Missouri State University graduate student said. “I was 28 years old and couldn’t sing, perform or teach.”

Skeers’ life was put on pause for eight months after the diagnosis, and it took three years to reach remission.

Check out Skeers’ podcast

Intertwining passions

Since Skeers couldn’t make a career out of singing, she decided to pursue a different passion: teaching.

Though she lives in Washington, Skeers is currently working on a master’s degree in early childhood and family development online through Missouri State. She plans to graduate in spring 2024.

“Much of my work at Missouri State is tied to my interest in music,” Skeers said. “For my thesis, I am studying the importance of singing lullabies to babies.”

Skeers plans to teach a class on the role of music in childhood development in spring 2023. She will teach in her hometown Olympia, WA.

“Emily takes such a thoughtful approach to her work in her courses and thesis research,” said Dr. Elizabeth King, associate professor of childhood education and family studies at Missouri State.

“I have learned a lot from her about tying meaningful personal experiences to the research process. Working with Emily has been one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences I’ve had at Missouri State.”

Pageants with a purpose

Skeers was crowned United States of America’s Mrs. Washington 2023 in September.

She wants to use her role as USOA Mrs. Washington 2023 to raise awareness for Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. She has already raised nearly $3,000 in donations for the foundation.

The foundation researches treatment for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improves the quality of life for those diagnosed with these diseases. Skeers created a support group within the foundation for people to share resources and support one another.

Skeers will compete for the title of United States of America’s Mrs. in spring 2023 as the “Queen with Crohn’s.”

She said, “I want to bring attention to Crohn’s disease, garner support for those diagnosed and show people the beauty of resilience.”

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Removing barriers for language learners

November 18, 2022 by Savannah A. Keller

Communicating using a non-native language can be challenging and often creates a sense of separation.

This semester, Missouri State University began the Removing Barriers program to promote equity for English language learners.

The program provides English instruction to parents of English language learners who attend Springfield Public Schools and live primarily in the Briarwood Mobile Home Park.

“The English instruction helps break down the barrier of language to allow the parents of these children to truly thrive in the Springfield community,” said Dr. Amber Howard, clinical instructor of childhood education and family studies at Missouri State University.

“These language skills open up so many doors for these families.”

How it works

The program started through partnership between the English Language Institute (ELI), Sherwood Elementary, the College of Education and the English Language Development program at Springfield Public Schools, and it is funded through a Collective Impact grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO).

The ELI worked with MSU students enrolled in ELE 501 to teach them how to provide language courses to newcomer English learners.

Then, the MSU students work directly with English learners and their parents.

During each session, the group meets at Sherwood Elementary for a meal, and each adult who attends receives a $20 gift card. After the meal, the MSU students give engaging lessons to both the adults and the children.

The lessons help individuals develop English language skills. These lessons create a natural bridge between home, school and community, and they provide opportunities for real-life practice for the MSU students.

“The families are so kind, and the children have such a fun time playing games while their parents participate in the language classes,” said Haley Hall, an elementary education student at MSU.

A brighter future

The program provides valuable experiences for both the families and the MSU students.

Noah Lanear, another MSU student, said, “We learn just as much from the parents and their children as they learn from us.”

The families learn real world skills to help them in the workforce and develop skills to pass on to their children and communities.

The MSU students learn how to better help English language learner students and their families. They can use these skills in their classrooms, and their students can bring those skills home to their families.

“The Removing Barriers program has been so helpful for everyone involved. For us MSU students, it gives us a unique learning experience that we haven’t had in any other class,” Hall said.

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