Eva Goins leads one of three Middle School cohorts. This cohort comprises educators from different teaching settings across the country who are convening as a group to determine their specific area of focus.
Meet the Cohort
Eva Goins is an eighth grade English language arts teacher with Northwest ISD and a doctoral candidate at Texas Woman’s University. With twenty-five years of experience in education, she serves as department chair on her campus and remains deeply committed to creating spaces where students recognize the gifts they carry within them. Known for her creativity and leadership, she serves as Past President of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (TCTELA) and continues her work at the national level as a member of the NCTE Middle Level Section Steering Committee. At the heart of her work is a powerful belief that students are capable of more than they often realize. Through intentional instruction and meaningful relationships, she strives to help young people see their own potential and understand that with effort and persistence, they can grow into wherever their goals and dreams may lead.
Tyree Gaines is a middle school English language arts teacher, 8th-Grade Coordinator, and Middle School Team Leader at St. Boniface School in Cincinnati, OH. With experience as a teacher, principal, and superintendent, she brings both classroom expertise and schoolwide leadership insight to literacy instruction and student-centered learning. She is the creator of the Science of Learning instructional model used in the St. Boniface middle school, which equips students to analyze their learning habits, set goals, and take ownership of their academic growth. Her work focuses on strengthening vocabulary development, structured writing, and student voice through reflective learning practices. Gaines is particularly interested in exploring how artificial intelligence can responsibly support instruction while preserving authentic thinking and expression. Through the 2026 NCTE ELA AI Framework Project, she looks forward to collaborating with educators to develop practical, student-centered approaches to AI integration in ELA classrooms.
Jessica Jordan is a middle school English language arts teacher at Cartersville Middle School in Georgia, where she teaches grades 6–8. She designs student-centered, project-based learning experiences that connect literacy with STEM and real-world problem solving. Her work emphasizes integrating artificial intelligence in meaningful ways that support student thinking, writing, and collaboration rather than replacing them. In her classroom, students engage with structured systems and protocols to analyze texts, build arguments, and take ownership of their learning. She is especially interested in developing practical, scalable approaches that help teachers use AI to enhance critical thinking and create meaningful learning experiences.
Samuel Morris hails from the beautiful island of Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands, and has been living in Alabama for the past 20 years. He has had the privilege of teaching ELA in Alabama for the past 7 years. Currently, he teaches 7th-grade ELA and is the chairperson of the ELA department at Bellingrath Middle School in Montgomery, AL. He is also a doctoral student studying ELA education at Auburn University. Morris holds a bachelor’s degree in English and political science from Tuskegee University, a master’s in English from Auburn University, and a master’s in ELA education from Auburn University. His research/educational interests are student-centered, culturally responsive curricula, process vs. product, and educational technology. In his downtime, Morris enjoys cooking his favorite Caribbean dishes and following current events.
Alexis Rainey is an experienced English language arts educator in South Carolina with two decades of experience and service across K–12 and higher education environments. With degrees in English, curriculum and instruction, and educational leadership, she has taught middle grades English language arts, led the ELA department, and facilitated support through teaching practice support, professional learning community collaboration, and curriculum planning to foster positive learning environments for both teachers and students. She is excited to bring deep expertise in assessment, literacy, instructional design, and professional learning. Alexis is committed to exploring and supporting conversations and work centered around AI frameworks’ ability to strengthen ELA instruction, support teacher growth, and expand access to rigorous, student-centered literacy experiences for all learners.