The Bush Center
Lead at Houston Christian
With the only high school leadership center bearing the name and integrating the leadership legacies of a U.S. president, our dedicated and intentional space develops scholarship and leadership among gifted students from across the world.
In a time when ethical leadership is in decline, The George and Barbara Bush Center for Scholars and Leaders equips and inspires people to implement the leadership principles of the 41st president to positively influence their communities and beyond. The Bush Center promotes the development of scholarship and leadership through the cultivation and study of faith and moral guidelines for all ages, and we welcome you to explore our site and see how we can partner together to illuminate the world for the better.
In 2011, our Head of School, Dr. Stephen Livingston, and Board Member, Jeff Reeter, joined George & Barbara Bush in Kennebunkport, Maine to discuss the idea of a Leadership Center for High School students. They cited a study from Harvard Business Review, which concluded that the average age at which leadership skills are taught is around ten years after starting a supervisory role. The idea of purposefully teaching leadership concepts and skills in multiple programs and courses to high school students was, and still is, innovative and impactful. President and Mrs. Bush were intrigued by the concept, and with their blessing thus was born The George & Barbara Bush Center for Scholars and Leaders.
Housed on the campus of Houston Christian High School, The Bush Center boasts the largest collection of President Bush artifacts in Houston, Texas, where each component tells the story of the President and First Lady’s work while in office and their relentless efforts in helping to build young leaders.
Housed on the campus of Houston Christian High School, The Bush Center boasts the largest collection of President Bush artifacts in Houston, Texas, where each component tells the story of the President and First Lady’s work while in office and their relentless efforts in helping to build young leaders.
Currently in The Bush Center
List of 3 news stories.
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Future Lawyers of America Club
Houston Christian High School is excited to announce the formation of the Future Lawyers of America club, a new offering this school year. All HC students were invited to participate in a Lunch and Learn session with Justice Harvey Brown, Adjunct Instructor, who works with our club leaders to bring in speakers and panels that further enhance real-life experiences. At the inaugural meeting, Justice Brown was joined by Jeff Voncannon, prominent Houstonian, business leader, and former HC Chairman of the Board, who discussed the symbiotic relationship between law and business. We are excited for this great new opportunity for our students! -
Soochow University Partners with HC
Last week, we were delighted to welcome four Taiwanese undergraduate university students to our campus. These students aspire to become teachers and are pursuing education as their field of choice. Dr. Lee, a professor at Soochow University in Taiwan, has been organizing visits for his students to HC since 2014. Out of the four students, three are focused on English, and one is interested in pursuing a career in humanities. Dr. Lee's objective was to expose them to different teaching styles, and what better place than HC with our exceptional faculty? We see this as another way we steward our God-given gifts to invest in others. HC leading the way! -
DSP Scholars Serve with Plant it Forward
Our Distinguished Scholars Program students recently unified for a day of service to others. The Bush Center partnered with Plant it Forward, a non-profit organization that empowers refugees to develop sustainable farming practices. Scholars learned about urban agriculture and growing sustainable food and even enjoyed a lunch visit to one of Plant it Forward’s farm-to-table partners. We enjoyed growing together through outreach, service, and community!
Programs of Distinction
List of 4 items.
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Distinguished Scholars Program
The Distinguished Scholars Program provides high-achieving students with an enhanced learning environment where they can explore and build the skill set needed to become the next generation of leaders. Mirroring collegiate graduate programs, Scholars select a topic of choice to research mastering the building blocks of communication as they strive to learn more and explore different perspectives culminating in a written thesis and oral defense.
Click here to learn more. -
Passport to Lead
All Houston Christian students participate in the Passport to Lead program. Those who are able to exhibit their engagement with an understanding of the leadership outcomes will be recognized with a leadership distinction on their diploma at the culmination of the four-year journey. Passport to Lead began in the fall of 2006 to lead, monitor, and evaluate program effectiveness.
Click here to learn more. -
Innovation Studies
We understand innovation as the process of creating thoughtful solutions to important questions. Innovation runs throughout the story of Houston Christian’s beginning and its remarkable growth. As our world is everchanging, we see the need for industry, finance, governments, and educators to innovate. This experience confirmed our belief that cultivating an innovative mindset is essential to equip our students to shape their future. We are intentionally integrating innovation into the Houston Christian leadership experience.
Click here to learn more. -
International Student Leadership Program
The International Student Leadership Program brings together future leaders through the study of the world’s most impactful leaders and how they accomplished their life’s work. You will conduct case studies, cultural analysis, and develop your own leadership philosophy so you can walk into any scenario with confidence.
Click here to learn more.
Leadership & Faculty for Scholars & Leaders
Director of The Bush Center for Scholars and Leaders
mdickerson@houstonchristian.org
Texas A&M University - B.S.
University of Houston - M.Ed.
Passport to Lead Program Director; Leadership Studies Instructor
scubbler@houstonchristian.org
Trinity University - B.S.
Naval Postgraduate School - Homeland Defense
Distinguished Scholars Program Associate Director; Distinguished Scholars Program Instructor; English Instructor
jlaflamme@houstonchristian.org
Eastern Connecticut State University - B.A.
Sacred Heart University - M.A.T.
Adjunct Faculty
The University of Texas - B.S.
The University of Texas - J.D.
George & Barbara Bush Foundation Liaison
Kansas State University - B.B.M.
Innovation Programs Associate Director; Innovation Studies Instructor; Science Instructor
lhawkins@houstonchristian.org
University of North Carolina-Greensboro - B.A.
Montana State University - M.S.
Science Instructor; Innovation Studies Instructor; Tennis Assistant Coach
mbredeweg@houstonchristian.org
Grand Valley State University - B.S.
Grand Valley State University - M.Ed.
Math Instructor; Distinguished Scholars Program Advisor
mcopeland@houstonchristian.org
Louisiana State University - B.S.
Bible Instructor; Leadership Instructor; JV Baseball Head Coach; Football Assistant Coach; JV Football Head Coach
jfaircloth@houstonchristian.org
Sam Houston State University - B.S.
Sam Houston State University - M.A.
English Instructor; Distinguished Scholars Program Instructor
koliver@houstonchristian.org
University of Kansas - B.A.
University of Houston - M.A.
Sam Houston State University - Ed.D.
World Languages Instructor: Latin; Distinguished Scholars Program Instructor
bmclane@houstonchristian.org
The Evergreen State College - B.A.
Carnegie Mellon University - M.A.
University of Pennsylvania - P.B.A.C.C.
St. John's College - M.A.
University of Pittsburgh - M.A.
University of Pittsburgh - Ph.D.
Education Technology Specialist; Department Chair, Science; Science Instructor; Robotics Instructor
lrieke@houstonchristian.org
Northwest Nazarene University - B.S.
Columbia International University - M.Ed.
Leadership Studies Instructor
jrollins@houstonchristian.org
Wheaton College - B.A.
National University - M.A.
Chaplain; Distinguished Scholars Program Advisor
mskinner@houstonchristian.org
Houston Baptist University - B.A.
Houston Baptist University - M.A.
World Languages Instructor: Latin; Leadership Instructor
twoods@houstonchristian.org
University of Missouri-Columbia - B.A.
Covenant Theological Seminary - M.A.
