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
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DSP Legacy Luncheon
Houston Christian High School proudly launched the newest tradition of the Distinguished Scholars Program: the Legacy Challenge.At the program’s first luncheon of the year, each student was placed into a Legacy, a leadership-centered community they will belong to for the duration of their time in the program. Rooted in the Five Pillars of Leadership promoted by the Bush Center for Scholars and Leaders—Character, Communication, Competency, Compassion, and Courage—these Legacies establish a framework for growth, belonging, and purpose-driven leadership.Throughout the year, students will engage in collaborative challenges and meaningful experiences that cultivate character, strengthen communication, and inspire courage. We are grateful for opportunities that enrich our students’ educational journey and celebrate the traditions that prepare them to lead with purpose and conviction. -
HC Welcomes Foundation CEO
Houston Christian High School was privileged to welcome Alice Yates, Chief Executive Officer of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, to our campus.
Ms. Yates conducted a comprehensive tour of The Bush Center and engaged with student groups to discuss the Center's specialized programming and signature events.We deeply value our enduring partnership with the Foundation and anticipate continued collaboration on meaningful initiatives that honor the Bush legacy and enrich our educational mission. -
Distinguished Leader Speaker Series: Colonel Shane Kimbrough
Houston Christian High School was honored to host Colonel Shane Kimbrough, NASA Astronaut, for our Distinguished Leader Speaker Series assembly presentation. Through the initiative of one of our sophomores, who approached Colonel Kimbrough at an Astros game with an invitation to address our student body, we secured this exceptional educational opportunity.Colonel Kimbrough shared compelling accounts from his distinguished career, including his recent tenure as Commander of the SpaceX Crew-2 mission, during which he spent 199 days aboard the International Space Station.We are grateful for the community connections that enrich our educational experience and commend our students who demonstrate the leadership and initiative to pursue meaningful opportunities for themselves and their peers.
Programs of Distinction
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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
Executive 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 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.
Serving HC Since 2024
George & Barbara Bush Foundation Liaison
Kansas State University - B.B.M.
Serving HC Since 2024
Innovation Programs Associate Director; Department Chair, Science; Innovation Studies Instructor; Science Instructor
University of North Carolina-Greensboro - B.A.
Montana State University - M.S.
Serving HC Since 2021
Science Instructor; Innovation Studies Instructor; Tennis Assistant Coach
Grand Valley State University - B.S.
Grand Valley State University - M.Ed.
Serving HC Since 2017
Math Instructor; Distinguished Scholars Program Advisor
Louisiana State University - B.S.
Serving HC Since 2022
Bible Instructor; Leadership Instructor; JV Baseball Head Coach; Football Assistant Coach; JV Football Head Coach
Sam Houston State University - B.S.
Sam Houston State University - M.A.
Serving HC Since 2015
Bible Instructor; Leadership Instructor
Samford University - B.A.
Samford University - M.Div
The University of Alabama - M.A.
Azusa Pacific University - Ph.D.
Serving HC Since 2025
Social Sciences Instructor; Distinguished Scholars Program Instructor
Grove City College - B.A.
University of Nebraska - M.A.
The University of Texas - Ph.D.
Serving HC Since 2025
English Instructor; Distinguished Scholars Program Instructor
University of Kansas - B.A.
University of Houston - M.A.
Sam Houston State University - Ed.D.
Serving HC Since 2022
Leadership Studies Instructor
Wheaton College - B.A.
National University - M.A.
Serving HC Since 2024
Chaplain; Distinguished Scholars Program Advisor
Houston Baptist University - B.A.
Houston Baptist University - M.A.
Serving HC Since 2022
