Past Honorees.

The Texas Pioneer Foundation is a private, independent foundation located in Texarkana, Texas. The foundation makes grants for educational purposes that include post-secondary education, support for public school foundations, literacy and life skills. In 2012, the Texas Pioneer Foundation created the Texas Education Foundation Network (TEFN) to support local education foundations in Texas by providing networking opportunities, sharing of best practices, training and resources to foundations, and currently serves over 300 school foundations.

Dr. Lizzy Johnson has been a strong supporter of Texas public education since 1996. Dr. Johnson has served in various roles as an educator, including campus and district-level administrator in rural, suburban, and urban districts across Texas. She has spearheaded numerous initiatives focused on forward-thinking, advocacy, and future visioning work. She currently consults with districts across Texas while continuing to champion the needs of students and teachers as the CEO of TransCend4.

The Holdworth Center is a nonprofit organization founded in 2017 by Charles Butt, Chairman of H-E-B. The Holdsworth Center works to strengthen the leaders who serve educators and students and has quickly become a powerful force for positive change in the education landscape of Texas. Under Dr. Lindsay Whorton's leadership, the organization's efforts to provide transformative leadership development programs to school leaders have helped to create a community of practice that fosters collaboration and innovation across the state. Dr. Whorton's vision and dedication have been instrumental in helping the Holdsworth Center become a leading voice in the conversation about public education in Texas.

Laura Subrin Yeager is the Founder and Director of Texas Educators Vote and the Director of Just Fund It TX. Texas Educators Vote is a cooperative effort of 30 non-profit education-related organizations working to create a culture of voting in Texas public schools. Just Fund It TX is a statewide grassroots group of parents and students working toward increased funding for Texas public schools.

Chris Wallace is the President and CEO of the North Texas Commission, a public-private partnership that drives the regional advocacy effort of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Wallace joined the NTC in June of 2018 and soon realized that a critical voice was missing in the regional discussions led by the Commission: public schools. Wallace enlisted the help of Dr. Charles Luke and began recruiting influential superintendents in North Texas. These strategic partnerships created with these school districts resulted in the formation of the NTC's Superintendents Advisory Council in early 2020.

The Capturing Kids Hearts program, powered by Flippen Group, dramatically elevates the academic and behavioral standards for students in classrooms across Texas. Capturing Kids' Hearts drives culture and climate as the backbone for creating a truly great classroom, improving classroom culture, as well as student performance, attendance rates, discipline, and so much more.

TEGAC has worked since 2012 to build support for and improvement in public education in Texas by bringing philanthropic and business leaders, education associations, and lawmakers together. TEGAC developed and implemented a comprehensive school finance advocacy campaign in partnership with its vast array of partners. In 2018-2019, TEGAC also commissioned and provided credible school finance data, including polling data on Texas voters' attitudes on school finance.

"Dr. Smith is an outstanding leader and true Friend of public schools" said Leslie Milder, Founder, Friends of Texas Public Schools. "Dr. Smith's time in the classroom, boardroom and capitol has quietly transformed public education advocacy. Her focus on collaboration has brought many people together to fix issues and address challenges."

"Pastor Johnson has enthusiastically accepted the role of chief advocate for the public school children of Texas," said Scott Milder, Founder and CEO, Friends of Texas Public Schools. "He recognizes the state has been avoiding its constitutional obligation to properly support our public schools and has mobilized 1,000-plus pastors to send a very clear message to our elected legislators that this is unacceptable. May God bless Pastor Johnson."

TAMSA started in 2011 as a statewide, grassroots organization of concerned parents that supports a more reasoned approach to student testing. The TAMSA mission is to improve public education in Texas through the use of meaningful and effective student assessments that allow for more productive classroom instruction and more efficient use of public funds. TAMSA is a nonpartisan organization; working in a cooperative manner with school districts, legislators, and other key policy makers to develop meaningful student assessment for Texas students.

Dr. Moses is the Endowed Chair of Educational Leadership at the University of North Texas in Denton. He has served as a Texas educator and leader for more than 30 years. From 1995 to 1999, he was the Commissioner of Education for the state of Texas. He served as Deputy Chancellor for Systems Operations at Texas Tech University System from 1999 to 2001 and as General Superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District from 2001 until 2004. Prior to his position in Dallas, Dr. Moses was the superintendent of schools in other Texas school districts, including Lubbock, LaMarque, and Tatum. Currently he serves as Senior Educational Advisor for Raise Your Hand Texas and the Center for Reform of School Systems.

A public school graduate herself, this award winning educator's depth of knowledge and experience shines through her passionate speeches. Diane Ravitch has developed a powerful argument against the privatization of public schools, and she will take us step-by-step through the triumphs and failures American public school system.

Jimmie Don Aycock, Chairman of the House Public Education Committee was a champion for public school students throughout the 2013 legislative session, leading the Texas House of Representatives against ardent opposition driven by testing companies and their lobbyists to pass one of the most important pieces of legislation for public education in decades.

Jamie is president of Vollmer, Inc., a public education advocacy firm working to halt the erosion of public trust and build support for America's public schools.

Chuck and Gina Norris, founders of KICKSTART KIDS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving middle school students the tools and support necessary to resolve conflicts, avoid participating in gangs, choose a drug-free lifestyle, resist negative peer pressure and remain in school until they graduate, strive for a higher level of academic success and become productive members of society.

Darrell and Sandi Scott are the Founders of Rachel's Challenge, a gripping character education program inspired by their daughter Rachel, the first person killed at Columbine High School in 1999.