Central High School Students Headed to Nationals for Original Children’s Book

Two Central High School students, junior Avery Westbrook and senior Roman Moya, are headed to the national competition for Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) in Washington, D.C. this June for their children’s literature pre-k–3 project. For the children’s literature project, students must write and illustrate an original children’s book. Then, students present and read their original story to a panel of judges, and answer questions at the conclusion of the presentation. 

“Roman and Avery were intentional with every detail, from their carefully created illustrations to the interactive questions, every piece of the book was written with young students in mind,” said Central High School Family and Consumer Science teacher and Roman’s mother Theresa Maskill. “Writing this book was not an easy task. These students worked hard and learned a lot about themselves in the process. We are excited that their hard work has paid off and wish them nothing but the best as they prepare to represent our district in Washington DC” 

Avery and Roman began working on “The Honey House” in September 2023 in preparation for the area competition in November 2023 which advanced them to state in February 2024. “‘The Honey House’ follows a group of bees as they learn the valuable lesson of keeping their meadow clean to ensure the well-being of their precious flowers,” said Avery and Roman. “As young readers start on this colorful journey, they will witness the bees coming together, and committing to environmental stewardship. The story not only entertains but also imparts fundamental values of responsibility and cooperation.” 

“The Honey House” is an educational adventure which takes young readers on a journey that sparks curiosity and environmental awareness. Throughout the book, Avery and Roman included interactive questions to keep readers engaged and learning. 

“These kids have worked HARD!! They were so proud of the book and practiced their presentation and reading so much that their friends and family started asking where they could get copies,” said Central High School TAFE sponsor and education pathways teacher Scarlet Rodriquez “I looked into what it would take to produce copies of the book and we decided to turn it into a fundraiser for TAFE, our future teacher club! This has been such an exciting project, and it is so cool to see it turn into a published book. I’m proud of the work these two have put into their book and even prouder to have it as an example for future competitors. Avery and Roman have built a legacy in our TAFE chapter.” 

With the generous assistance from the San Angelo Association of Realtors, Avery and Roman were able to publish copies of "The Honey House" for the fundraiser. To pre-order your copy, please complete the per-order form here. The district also extends a sincere thank you to the San Angelo Association of Realtors for supporting these students in their journey of achieving their dreams.

San Angelo ISD extends a proud congratulations to Avery and Roman on their success this year and wish them the best of luck as they head to nationals this summer. We are proud to build up our future educators, support the hopes and dreams of our students and celebrate all the ways they are smart. CTE Teaching and Training Pathway is just one more way, with rippling effects, to help further the important work of public education.

To stay up-to-date on San Angelo ISD, please visit the SAISD website at www.saisd.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Career and Technical Education Teaching and Training Pathway

San Angelo ISD offers a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teaching and Training pathway for our high school students aspiring to be educators to prepare for careers related to teaching, instruction and creation of instructional and enrichment materials. This CTE pathway is also designed to familiarize students with the processes for developing curriculum, coordinating education content and coaching groups and individuals. With four level courses beginning with “Principles of Education and Training” and culminating in the “Practicum in Education and Training” in-classroom teaching experience, students have the opportunity to build a foundation of understanding and hands-on experience. As part of the Teaching and Training pathway, our students also have the opportunity to participate in the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) student leadership organizations within our CTE courses created to allow young men and women an opportunity to explore the teaching profession.