Richardson Independent School District announced that 17 students placed at the 2026 National Educators Rising Conference, which was held in Portland, Oregon. The district congratulated the students for their achievements in various categories.
At Richardson West Middle School, Mary Flanagan and Brandon Chavira Hernandez won first place as National Champions in the Public Service Announcement for Teacher Recruitment category. Calah Ross placed second in Children’s Literature. Josue Espinoza and Omar Uribe qualified nationally for their project titled Visualize: Service.
Students from Berkner High School also received recognition. Elizabeth Peterson took third place in Exploring Career Services, and Lola Martone placed fifth in Creative Lecture. A team consisting of Heily Solis, Coleson Decker, and Abigail Castillo also placed fifth in the Public Service Announcement for Teacher Recruitment category.
At Richardson High School, Lance Lassiter won first place in Public Speaking, and Liz Jackson placed eighth in Children’s Literature. PreK student Madihah Ashroff Khan placed tenth in the STEM Lesson Plan category. Chloe Grimes and Joanna Jiang also placed tenth in the Public Service Announcement for Teacher Recruitment category.