Celebrating Rising Our Teachers: Hope, Resilience and Purpose in Action
Hope, Resilience and Purpose in Action
The Saint Louis University School of Education recently celebrated the Rising Teachers program, honoring both Cohort 1, now approaching graduation, and Cohort 2, newly launched this year. The evening was a powerful reminder of why this program exists and the profound impact it is already having on schools, students and communities across the region.
Strengthening the Teacher Pipeline
The Rising Teachers program was created with a clear and urgent purpose: to strengthen the teacher pipeline by supporting paraprofessionals and school-based professionals as they work toward becoming certified teachers. By investing in educators who already know their students, schools, and communities, the program ensures that talented, committed teachers remain rooted where they are needed most.
As Dean Gary W. Ritter, Ph.D., shared during the celebration, supporting professionals who are already serving students every day is one of the most effective strategies for strengthening schools. Rising Teachers bring deep community knowledge, lived experience, and long-term commitment — qualities that cannot be replicated through short-term solutions.
Hope, Resilience and Sustainability in Action
The celebration centered on three themes that define the Rising Teachers initiative.
Hope
Cohort 1 includes nearly 50 Rising Teachers who will soon return to their home districts as certified teachers. Their persistence and strong retention reflect a pathway that offers stability, representation and continuity for schools and students.
Resilience
The program’s success is rooted in unwavering partnership and community commitment. Even after the unexpected loss and brief reinstatement of the federal SEED grant, the School of Education continued to provide full scholarships for every member of Cohort 1. As Dean Ritter noted, “The students in their future classrooms mean too much to quit.”
Sustainability
The launch of Cohort 2 marked another milestone, welcoming 18 new Rising Teachers into a growing, community-centered pipeline designed to support educators for the long term.
Rising Teacher Spotlights
Two members of Cohort 1, Deontae Woods and Tamra “Tam” Thompson, were featured speakers during the celebration, sharing stories that captured the heart of the Rising Teachers experience.
Deontae Woods, Sixth Grade, Ritenour School District
“Change doesn’t start with systems. It starts with us.”
Deontae Woods, a sixth-grade teacher in the Ritenour School District, spoke candidly about teaching as an act of presence. His message emphasized showing up fully for students and helping them see themselves as capable, worthy and full of potential.
For Woods, the Rising Teachers cohort has become a family: educators who grow, struggle and celebrate together. Surrounded by mentors and peers who provide both affirmation and accountability, he has found a community grounded in a shared commitment to students.
In his classroom, Woods leads with authenticity and empathy, creating spaces where students feel safe, respected and valued. When students nominated him for Teacher of the Year before he was even a full-time teacher, it affirmed what they already knew: they feel his heart, his presence, and his belief in them.
Tamra “Tam” Thompson, Seventh-Grade Math, Hazelwood School District
Tamra “Tam” Thompson delivered a message rooted in faith, resilience and purpose, reminding the audience that “growth does not happen when you are comfortable.”
Thompson journey into teaching began after a career in home health care and a pivotal experience with the Deaconess Foundation’s Freedom Schools program. That experience revealed her natural connection with young people and inspired her to step into a seventh-grade math classroom in the Hazelwood School District.
A key moment in the Rising Teachers program came when Thompson retook Adolescent Psychology, 10 years after earning her first degree. With real classroom experience, the coursework took on new meaning, helping her better understand her students’ needs and adjust her approach in ways that foster participation and trust.
Thompson shares that Rising Teachers has strengthened her confidence, deepened her patience, and surrounded her with a community that keeps her moving forward. “This experience reminded me why I chose this path,” she shared, “and I’ll be forever grateful.”
A Community of Support
The evening also highlighted the leadership and care that shape the Rising Teachers experience. Keynote speaker Karen I. Hall, Ed.D., offered an inspiring message about purpose and perseverance, while program leaders Jeannine Butler, Ed.D., director of academic development, and Madeleine Bailey, Ph.D., director of student support, were recognized for their steadfast dedication.
Butler closed the celebration with a message that captured the spirit of the program: “We love you, and we are so darn proud of you.”
Looking Ahead
To our Rising Teachers, Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, your dedication to your students, your districts, and your own professional growth inspires us. You embody the hope, resilience, and sustainability our schools deserve.
The Saint Louis University School of Education is proud to walk alongside you as you continue transforming classrooms and communities, one student, one school and one future teacher at a time.
For more information about the Rising Teachers program, please contact Jeannine Butler at jeannine.butler@slu.edu.