A Baylor Bear is Texas’ top student teacher for the 7th time in 9 years

For the seventh time in nine years, a Baylor Bear is Texas’ student-teacher of the year.

This year’s honoree is Bella Buncher (BSED ’25), now a second grade teacher north of Atlanta.

“In the first education class, I knew this is where I’m meant to be, and I saw the Lord calling me,” Buncher recalls. “Baylor prepared me more than I could have ever imagined. On my first day, I did feel nervous, but I also felt a lot of peace knowing that I’d done this before. Even though it is technically my first year of teaching, I have already taught for a full year. I was definitely ready.”

In a bit of a full-circle moment, Buncher was honored for her student-teacher work at Waco ISD’s Hillcrest Professional Development School — where she taught in third-grade classrooms with Alexandra Ronnenberg (BSED ’21), a Baylor grad who won the same honor in 2021.

“One of my favorite moments from the year was Bella’s lesson on multiplying using a number line,” says Ronnenberg. “To bring the concept to life, she wore a frog onesie and had the students ‘hop’ along the number line together. It was not only incredibly fun, but also an effective and memorable learning experience for the kids.”

Buncher joins an ever-growing list of Bears who have been named Texas Clinical Teacher of the Year in recent years, following in the footsteps of Stephanie Wright (BSED ’16, MSED ’17), Rachel Vaughn (BSED ’17), Lauren Hornbeak (BSED ’19), Ronnenberg, Debbie Chou (BSED ’23), and Ashlyn Bergethon (BSED ’24). (Three Bears — Hornbeak, Bergethon, and Emily Blackwell (BSED ’22) — have also been named national teacher of the year since 2019.)

Such honors are evidence of how Baylor education students learn to quickly and effectively implement what they learn in the classroom. Clearly, others across the state and nation are taking notice.

Sic ’em, Ashlyn and Baylor student teachers!