For more than two decades, Emilie (Naiser) Myer ’02, ’04 has built her career on supporting students. Her strong dedication as a fifth-grade teacher at Mason Ridge Elementary in St. Louis, Missouri has now earned her the Parkway School District’s 2025-26 All-District Teacher of the Year award and a chance to become Missouri Teacher of the Year.

“It’s pretty special that my district would stop and make time to say, ‘You’re doing a great job,’” Myer said after fellow educators nominated her for the award. “Most days we’re just focused on helping our students and getting through the day, so it means a lot to be recognized.”

The Parkway School District serves nearly 17,000 students across 18 elementary schools in the St. Louis area. For Myer, who grew up in a small rural town in Texas, the opportunity to teach in such a large district has been rewarding. As Myer advances her career in Missouri, she continues to build on the lessons she learned as a student at Texas A&M University. “I’m proud to serve Parkway and also to be an Aggie,” she adds. “Texas A&M prepared me well and I’ll always carry that experience with me.”

Myer earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from our Department of Educational Psychology and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in math education from our Department of Teaching, Learning & Culture. She was also recognized with the Early Career Award at our College’s Outstanding Alumni Gala in 2007.

Emilie Myer cheers on the Aggies at the Mizzou vs. Texas A&M football game in Columbia, Missouri, with her husband, Jonathan and their two children.

“One of the biggest takeaways from Texas A&M was what makes a successful teacher,” Myer shares. “You have to know what to teach, how to teach and who you’re teaching.” Her coursework emphasized strong content knowledge and effective teaching strategies. Challenging math and science classes also strengthened her understanding of the material she would later use in the classroom.

At the same time, she’s grateful for the relationships she built with professors and classmates. “Although Texas A&M is a big campus, my professors were incredibly personable and supportive,” Myer recalls. “They knew my strengths and weaknesses and were always in my corner. I try to model the same with my own students.”

Myer also had the chance to analyze research with Dr. Robert Capraro of our Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture. Through the project, “From this experience, Myer prioritizes how students think about concepts. “If you catch the misconceptions students might come in with, it changes how you teach,” she explains. “Each math skill connects to another subject, so you have to grasp what students know in the present and what they’ll need to know in the future.”

With over 22 years in education, Myer has taught in middle and elementary schools. Her goal is to help students grow in confidence and feel supported every step of the way. “I hope my students move up to the next grade knowing that I cared about them,” she said. “You can teach reading or social studies, but if students don’t feel encouraged, then it’s much harder for them to face the challenges ahead.”

Myer also mentors future educators by welcoming student teachers and interns into her classroom. A full-circle moment came when a college student reached out to observe her class. The student had once been one of her fourth graders. Experiences like these remind her of why she chose a career in education and helped others begin their teaching journeys.

Through mentorship, Myer hopes to help shape the next generation of educators while showing them the value of the profession. “Don’t do it alone,” she advises. “Build your village. Find the people who will support you, encourage you and solve problems with you.”

For media inquiries, contact Ruben Hidalgo.