Future educators from East Texas A&M University claimed two of the nation’s top honors in Collegiate Children’s Literature competition category at the 2026 Educators Rising National Conference in Portland, Oregon on June 23.

Susan Macias, who graduated in May with a B.S. in Bilingual EC-6 Education, and Jayla Carter, an Early Childhood Education major, earned first place nationally for their children’s book, “The Colors We Bring.” Ruth Martinez, who was a 2026 Organizational Leadership graduate, took third place for “Poppy the Penguin’s Underwater Adventure.” The recognition marks Macias’ second national first-place finish in the competition.

Educators Rising is a national organization that supports aspiring educators through leadership development, professional learning and competitive events. More than 2,000 future teachers attended this year’s conference, where East Texas A&M students showcased their work on a national stage.

“The books our students create are based on real classroom experiences and learning needs they observe during field experiences,” said Dr. Carol Revelle, associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and faculty advisor for the Texas Educators Affiliate of Texas Association of Future Educators. “By researching, testing and refining these materials, they develop the skills to create engaging, standards-aligned curriculum that will benefit their future students.”

“The Colors We Bring” encourages children to embrace cultural differences and build friendships through understanding, while “Poppy the Penguin’s Underwater Adventure” introduces elementary students to aquatic life through an engaging science lesson. Both books were developed throughout the academic year, tested in classrooms and refined through multiple rounds of feedback.

Although the award-winning books are not yet available to the public, the authors hope to share them more broadly in the near future.

East Texas A&M’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers undergraduate teacher certification programs, as well as graduate and doctoral degrees, providing students with opportunities to gain classroom experience and explore innovative approaches to teaching and learning.