The Mount Pleasant High School chapter of the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) attended their annual Area competition at Texas A&M Texarkana on Friday, December 8. Thirteen members competed and seven qualified for the State competition in March.

Sophomores Lesly Flores and Celeste Portillo advanced to state in the Junior Varsity Children’s Pre-K Literature event with Ted’s Terrible Tummy Ache, their original children’s rhyming book about a dog who eats way too much that encourages prediction skills and anticipated results.

Juniors Gabriella Garza and April Ruiz advanced to state in the Varsity Teacher Created Materials event with a 4th grade game, Needle in a Haystack, incorporating vocabulary and matching skills.

Seniors Araceli Landaverde and Sidney Beles advanced to state in Varsity Children’s K-3 Literature with their original children’s book, Dear Mom and Dad, about the sacrifices parents make for their kids and the realization of those sacrifices from a child’s point of view.

Senior Jasmin Landaverde advanced to state in Varsity Job Interview. In this event, Landaverde submitted a cover letter, a resume, and participated in an on-site live interview.

Also competing were the team of sophomores Haylee Zaldivar and Diana Gonzalez, the team of sophomores Angie Castro and Grace Zittel, and the team of juniors Cinthya Ramirez and Michelle Sandoval who all created interactive bulletin boards.

Those who advanced will compete in the Teach for Tomorrow Summit state competition on February 28-March 1, 2024 at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock. The MPHS TAFE Advisor is Aimee Sweeden.

Photo:

MPHS Future Educator competitors

Bottom (L to R): Araceli Landaverde, Jasmine Landaverde, Sidney Beles, April Ruiz, Cinthya Ramirez, Michelle Sandoval, Grace Zittel, Gabriella Garza

2nd row (L to R): Angie Castro, Haylee Zaldivar

3rd row (L to R): Lesly Flores, Celeste Portillo

4th row (L to R): Diana Gutierrez, Marlyn Estrada