If your children attend school in Houston, chances are UH alumni teach them. In fact, UH has trained 5,000 teachers over the past decade, and most stay right here in Houston.

Turning “No Ways” into Straight As

Sure, the number of our alumni in Houston’s schools is impressive, but numbers aren’t everything. The real impact is in individual teachers who give their all to teaching Houston’s children.

Dexter Chaney (’05) puts in a lot of extra hours for his kids. At the beginning of the year at Houston Independent School District’s Cornelius Elementary School, most of his third graders weren’t expected to pass the state’s standardized TAKS test.

But they could, and did. After weeks of after-school tutoring, Saturday study sessions, and even cheering at their sports games, all of his students passed—four with perfect scores.

“If my students take something they learn from me and pass it on, then what I’m doing is worthwhile,” Chaney says. “It’s a gift to know that you’re that one person—that positive influence —that makes a difference in a young life.”

From Drop Out to College Bound

Romulo “Rom” Crespo (’96) has been a public school teacher and administrator for ten years. He’s seen a lot of faces and changed a lot of lives, but one student stands out for him.

In his first year as an assistant principal at Hastings High School in Alief ISD, he met a student who wanted to drop out. He talked with her, encouraged her, and gained her trust. But despite his best efforts, she left school. Though he’d lost the battle, Crespo resolved to win the war.

He kept in touch and kept encouraging her. Eventually, he convinced her to re-enroll and supported her as she transitioned back. She not only graduated from high school, but enrolled in college to pursue a computer science degree.

“I just don’t give up. I see the same kids a lot, and one day a light goes on and they decide I’m not wrong after all,” says Crespo, now an assistant principal in Katy ISD. “From that day on, they begin to change, and I get to watch them shine. Watching that change and helping them grow is what keeps me going every day.”

Behind Every Good Teacher

When Houston-area school districts send out a call for certified teachers, UH answers. There’s a reason why our city’s schools, both public and private, seek UH alumni—our teachers are trained for careers in inner-city schools by experts in inner-city learning.

“We call our program an authentic teaching experience,” says Juanita Copley, chair of the College of Education Department of Curriculum and Instruction. “Our program trains student-teachers in real-life settings and situations. Our graduates last in the field because they are supported throughout their career, and they understand what they are doing.”

As a bilingual second grade teacher of twenty-two disadvantaged children in Humble ISD, Anne Gamboa (’04) has relied on support from her professors.

“The College of Education showed me what it’s like to teach in a Houston school. I was prepared for my kids,” says Gamboa. “And they’re still there for me. Whenever I have a question, I can count on my college professors for guidance.”

Thousands of UH alumni teach and lead in Houston schools. Most have stories like Gamboa’s, Chaney’s, and Crespo’s. Our alumni change lives and, once in a while, the right person takes notice.

“Sometimes I’ll get a note from a student that says, ‘Thanks for all you’ve done for me,’ and I’m reminded why I do what I do,” Crespo says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s just one kid or 100. That’s my reward.”