The Power of Education Pathways: WHS Junior Builds Legacy
- News
When Wylie High School junior Gabrielle Roberts steps onto the stage at her high school graduation next year, she won’t just be looking ahead to the future — she’ll be reflecting on the legacy she started.
As the newly-elected 2025-26 Area 11 Vice President of the Texas Association of Future Educators, Roberts is determined to leave an imprint far beyond the walls of WHS.
“I’m excited to jump in,” Roberts said. “I think it's important to build bonds with people you work with. I hope [students from other districts] will want to do the same at their school. I want to help build the TAFE program not only in my school but in other schools in our area so that everyone has a chance to experience just how impactful leaving your legacy can be.”
Roberts referenced the district’s Legacy theme in her officer candidate speech.
“Leave a legacy is exactly what I want to do,” Roberts said. “After graduating from high school or college, many people think back on all that they didn’t do. Even though I can relate to that, I don’t want to be that kind of person anymore.”
TAFE Sponsor Paula Wallace said that Roberts is a highly motivated student with a bright future as an educator who shares her passion for education in her classroom and at her field site.
“Gabby is an integral part of our TAFE program in contributing to activities and ensuring all students are included and know they are welcome and belong,” Wallace said. “She has shown initiative and has a vested interest in the success and growth of our TAFE chapter and the Education and Training program at Wylie High School.”
Roberts already has plans to build a legacy within the WHS TAFE program.
“I want to grow the TAFE program,” Roberts said. “Last year, we only had 12 kids. I want to make sure we are regularly showing up at events and making ourselves known.”
She is well on her way to achieving this goal, as the program now has over 20 active students.
Through the opportunities provided by the Career & Technical Education pathways, Roberts is not only preparing for a career in education but also setting a powerful example for the next generation of future leaders.
“My CTE classes have definitely helped me learn more about the education field,” Roberts said. “Last year, one of the TAFE contests I explored was studying non-core teachers. I learned a lot when I shadowed my choir teacher, Ms. [Emily] Mara.”
After eight hours of observing Mara and multiple interviews, Roberts presented her findings at the local TAFE competition and advanced to State.
“I was proud to make it to State after my very first TAFE competition,” Roberts said.
Three days a week, Roberts also serves as a student intern in Aaron Allen’s sixth-grade dual-language English class at Draper Intermediate.
“Gabby has earned a strong reputation as a reliable and trusted member of the classroom,” Allen said. “She consistently steps up to assist students, offering thoughtful answers to any questions they may have. I have full confidence in her ability to work with the students and support their learning in a positive and meaningful way.”
Having been one of his students at Draper, Allen recalls how Roberts stood out as a dedicated and hardworking student in his College & Career Readiness class even then.
“It’s clear that Gabby genuinely enjoys being in the classroom, and her presence has made a lasting impact,” Allen said. “The students not only look forward to seeing her, but they also trust her deeply. She has built strong, positive relationships with them from day one, fostering an environment where they feel comfortable and supported.”
Besides TAFE and serving as a student intern, Roberts stays busy with Student Council, Key Club and the National Honor Society. She even finds time to mentor eighth graders at Cooper Junior High and also mentors a freshman at WHS.
“I’ve always been known as the shy and quiet kid,” Roberts said. “I want to be known as the person who speaks up in class and shares about what I know.”
She said that her teachers have had the biggest impact on her choice to become an educator.
“I’ve had a few along the way that really stand out,” Roberts said. “My sixth grade English teacher, Mr. Rollins, at Draper Intermediate for one. As the shy kid, not all teachers make you feel welcome. He made an effort to include everybody.”
Perhaps her biggest role model is her very own grandmother, Rene Hayes, a sixth-grade special education teacher in Maryland.
“She has taught for over 40 years,” Roberts said. “We keep telling her to retire, but she loves it too much to leave. It’s nice to see how she sticks with it. I hope that I will have her passion to be an educator for so long, too.”
In the future, she sees herself teaching math to middle schoolers or U.S. History to high school students.
For Roberts, her high school years aren’t just preparing her for a future in teaching — they’re shaping the future of the students who will follow her. As a TAFE officer, she’s carving out a path that not only builds her dream but also empowers her peers to chase theirs, all thanks to the life-changing opportunities of Career & Technical Education.
“Leaving a legacy means you don’t have to be remembered as yourself, but by something you did that affects people in the future…that you did something good to benefit them,” she said.
Roberts is determined to leave a legacy that will endure long after she’s walked across the graduation stage. Her journey, fueled by the opportunities in Career & Technical Education, is proof that the right pathways can turn passion into purpose.
I’m proud to be in Wylie ISD.
--Gabrielle Roberts, WHS Class of 2026