A Sachse High School P-TECH student is heading to the national stage after earning top honors at the state level through the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE).

Reese Bryant, a senior at Sachse High School, recently placed first in the TAFE Educators Rising Leadership Award category, advancing to the national competition this summer in Portland, Oregon.

TAFE, the Texas affiliate connected to the national Educators Rising network, prepares students for careers in education through leadership development and competitive events.

Bryant chose the Leadership Award category, which requires a community-focused project designed to create lasting impact.

“Not many people compete in it because it’s a lot of work,” Bryant said. “But I heard that, and I wanted to do it even more.”

Her interest in education began early, shaped in part by her mother’s work in special education. Bryant began volunteering at the Achievement Center of Texas, a local day hab center, at age 10, supporting daily activities and working with individuals with disabilities.

“Ever since then, I knew this is what I wanted to do,” she said.

Through the Future Teachers Institute and her classroom experiences, Bryant has supported instruction, assisted with routines, led activities, and helped students build communication and life skills. She also became the first Applied Learning Environment (ALE) aide at Sachse High School. ALE classes focus on the practical application of academic skills to support student success at school, at home, and in the community. Bryant transitioned from an office aide role into the position so she could work more directly with students with special needs.

“It’s more than just teaching,” she said. “It’s helping students build skills that can impact their future in a real way.”

Those experiences helped inspire her project, The Learning Nest, a structured life skills resource designed for individuals with disabilities. The system includes activity-based materials covering areas such as hygiene, money management, job skills, and daily living tasks, supported by step-by-step guidance, visual supports, and QR code videos.

Bryant also expanded the project to include adapted literacy resources with audio narration and American Sign Language interpretation to support nonverbal and deaf learners.

“You’ll hear the audio, and then in the corner you’ll see me signing the story,” she said. “That way, more students can be included.”

The project required more than 150 hours of work and community support through donations that helped cover materials and supplies.

“Within a week, everything was purchased,” Bryant said. “It showed me there are people who genuinely want to support work like this.”

Bryant is now exploring ways to protect and expand The Learning Nest, including pursuing a patent for the model.

In addition to her project work, Bryant served as TAFE area president for Area 11, one of the largest regions in Texas, where she helped organize conferences, lead presentations, and support student leaders.

She will continue in a mentorship role as an assistant area coordinator while guiding future officers and assisting with conference planning.

Bryant plans to attend Stephen F. Austin State University to pursue a degree in special education, followed by graduate studies, with the goal of eventually working in special education leadership.

“I want to make a difference,” she said. “And I know this is the path that will let me do that.”

For more information about The Learning Nest, please email Reese at Bryantreese84@gmail.com.