Story by Logan Jackson
Photo by Morgan Williams
Late into his freshman year at Battle High School, Izayah Christopher was looking for an outlet that would allow him to discuss significant topics that were important to him. He found that atmosphere with the Columbia Public Schools (CPS) Speech and Debate program.
His four years as part of the team were incredibly rewarding, and Christopher was named the William Woods Tate, Jr., National Student of the Year by the National Speech and Debate Association earlier this summer.
Christopher said he was thankful for the relationships he built throughout his time as part of the program, but one relationship had an especially meaningful impact on his life. Danielle Johnson, head coach of the CPS Speech and Debate team, showed him how vital it is to have engaging instructors.
“She showed me what teaching really is and how transformative it can be for both the student and the educator,” said Christopher, who is from Columbia, Missouri. “It’s really beautiful how teachers connect those dots for students and foster that growth. My interest in becoming a teacher definitely sprouted from my time with Dr. Johnson.”
Christopher is now pursuing that interest at the University of Missouri. He is a secondary education major, with a focus on language arts.
“Being from Columbia, Mizzou was obviously everywhere,” Christopher said. “I really wasn’t sure that I wanted to stay in state for college, but the more places I visited, the more I realized that I wasn’t ready to leave Columbia just yet. Mizzou has so many great programs and opportunities, and I knew I could have success here.”
While Christopher was plenty familiar with almost everything Mizzou had to offer, the Stamps Scholarship weekend showed him a part of campus he wasn’t as familiar with – the Honors College. Semifinalists for the scholarship are invited to campus for a weekend to interview for the award, meet current Stamps Scholars, participate in an in-depth campus tour and interact with Mizzou leadership.
“I met some amazing people during that process,” Christopher said. “It was great to learn more about the Honors College, and I really appreciated the chance to see the incredible opportunities that the college offered.”
Christopher is one of eight Stamps Scholars beginning their college journeys this fall at Mizzou.
Mizzou Stamps Scholars have a variety of unique opportunities, including a dedicated mentor, opportunities to connect with campus leadership, alumni networking, funding for study abroad and connections with other students in a larger Stamps Scholarship network. Scholars also participate in research early on in their college journey and are enrolled in the Honors College for all four years, working toward the completion of the Honors Certificate.
Research is also a key component of the scholarship. Christopher said pursuing a project tied to education would be an important experience as he works toward becoming an educator.
“This is going to be a new perspective for me, and it has definitely lit a fire in me to learn even more about the classroom,” Christopher said. “It’s really inspiring, and I look forward to learning more about how to become a better teacher.”
Outside of the classroom, Christopher is part of the Mizzou Cheerleading team, specifically the coed squad. Christopher has been cheering since eighth grade and said he was excited to be on the sidelines for Tiger games.
“When I decided to stay in Columbia and go to Mizzou, I thought it would be nice to continue to cheer,” Christopher said. “Being part of the team is really great and something that I take a lot of pride in. I’m excited to be part of the game day atmosphere and support fellow athletes.”