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How can we do this together in a nicer, kinder and more loving way? This key question guided 2019 Outstanding PhD Graduate Paty Abril-Gonzalez through her doctorate dissertation at �鶹ԭ�� and still guides her now in her teaching and research as an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

As a former high school teacher and advocate for community empowerment, 2019 Outstanding MA Graduate Ben Erwin realized that he had a passion for the public policies that shape the educational field. “After my time in Mississippi in advocacy, I realized I wanted to pursue a career in education policy,” Erwin said. “My belief in education as a driver of social justice and opportunity continues to drive my passion for education.”

Kyle O’Keefe, 2019 �鶹ԭ�� School of Education Outstanding Elementary Education Graduate, believes that learning should be fun all the time. “Fun is a great equalizer in the classroom because it engages everyone in their learning,” O’Keefe said. “Even the most stubborn student can't resist joining in!”

When Maya Angelou wrote the poem “Still I Rise,” she was speaking from her experience and validating the experiences of those who came before and after her. Her voice and sentiments are alive and well in Esmeralda Castillo-Cobian’s classroom. ith Angelou’s words still resonating in her ears, Castillo-Cobian is set to graduate from the �鶹ԭ�� with a BA in ethnic studies and her secondary teacher licensure in English education from the School of Education.

It can be hard to see the distinctions between the many lives that Valeria Praga-Rodríguez lives as an educator, mother, advocate and learner. She is also setting a positive example for daughters, students and the countless educators she works with at Denver Public Schools.

Build a Better Book intern Estelle Silk, a sophomore and student ambassador for the �鶹ԭ�� School of Education, learned about the importance of inclusivity in teaching and the importance of learning to teach in new ways through the program.

“I thought it was really cool because I’d never considered 3D picture books before," Silk said. "It's different from normal braille so it gets kids interested. Adults who go blind also find it really interactive.”

Join the �鶹ԭ�� School of Education on Thursday, May 2 at Boulder's Dairy Arts Center for the thought-provoking series, Ed Talks. Inspired by TED Talks, Ed Talks are not-to-be-missed short, engaging presentations exploring topics like What Reality TV Taught Me about Everyday Assessment, Trauma as Peril and Potential in Schools, and more.

The campus is calling on students to answer one question: who is your most inspiring educator at �鶹ԭ��? Each fall, the Best Should Teach Awards honor �鶹ԭ�� faculty, graduate teachers, and K-12 teachers. Nominate an inspiring professor by April 15.

Leadership and Community Engagement sophomore Matthew Parone transferred to �鶹ԭ�� this last fall but is already moving full speed ahead. Parone can be found discussing how to encourage respect in the Greek community, acting through CU’s theater program and more all while brainstorming a micro-theater capstone for his major.

Education sophomore Gracie Filler interns for Reading Buddies, a program at the Boulder Public Library that pairs �鶹ԭ�� undergraduate students with kindergarten through third graders to increase children’s interest in books, reading and writing. “You bond with [the kids], and you make a book with them that you present at the end of the semester,” Filler said.