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.
Linear regression came to life in DSP 9 this week as students transformed statistical modeling into a hands-on engineering challenge. Under the guidance of Mr. Copeland, their trusted DSP advisor, students were tasked with predicting how many rubber bands would allow a water balloon dropped from the football bleachers to fall within one meter of the ground without hitting it.
Armed with data, formulas, and careful calculations, students built models, tested hypotheses, and refined their predictions. The results were as exciting as they were instructive. Some balloons burst on impact, others missed the target by mere inches, and one group calculated the drop with perfect precision.
Beyond the thrill of the experiment, the activity reinforced a deeper purpose within the DSP curriculum. Experiences like this are part of a larger, intentional approach to teaching statistics, one that begins in freshman year and builds in complexity over time. Students learn to interpret data, evaluate methodology, and engage in research with confidence, laying a foundation that supports literature reviews in the coming years and prepares them for the advanced statistical reasoning required for original senior research.
By turning abstract concepts into tangible experiences, DSP empowers students to see the real-world applications of their learning and proves that sometimes, the best way to understand statistics is to let it fly.
Last Friday, Houston Christian High School’s DSP 10 and 11 scholars spent the day at Rice University, engaging in an immersive academic experience focused on collegiate-level research.
As part of their literature review process, students explored advanced research databases commonly used in higher education. With guided support and hands-on access to scholarly sources, students gathered high-quality research that strengthened their analysis and deepened their understanding of their chosen topics.
The visit provided valuable insight into the expectations and practices of university-level scholarship, allowing students to refine critical thinking skills and engage more thoughtfully with complex material. Experiences like this reflect Houston Christian’s commitment to academic rigor and preparing students for the demands of college and beyond.
The Rice University library visit marked an important step in the DSP program’s emphasis on authentic research, curiosity-driven learning, and the pursuit of academic excellence.
Houston Christian High School recently welcomed parents, alumni, and community leaders to campus for the annual Networking Marketplace—an interactive event designed to help students develop the essential soft skills they will carry into college, careers, and leadership roles.
Held in the MetroNational Gym, the event created a dynamic, real-world networking environment where upperclassmen practiced shaking hands, maintaining eye contact, initiating conversations, and presenting themselves with confidence. Guests circulated throughout the space, offering students guidance, encouragement, and authentic opportunities to refine their communication skills.
Parents and alumni also had the opportunity to connect with each other before engaging with the students—strengthening the partnership that defines the Houston Christian experience.
The Networking Marketplace continues to be a powerful example of how HC prepares students for life beyond the classroom. By bringing professionals directly to campus, the school provides a supportive environment where students can practice, ask questions, and grow into poised, capable leaders ready to make an impact.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mindy Dickerson Executive Director of The Bush Center for Scholars and Leaders mdickerson@houstonchristian.org Texas A&M University - B.S. University of Houston - M.Ed.
Scott Cubbler Passport to Lead Program Director; Leadership Studies Instructor scubbler@houstonchristian.org Trinity University - B.S. Naval Postgraduate School - Homeland Defense
Jenna LaFlamme 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.
Justice Harvey Brown Adjunct Faculty The University of Texas - B.S. The University of Texas - J.D. Serving HC Since 2024
Melinda Lamoreaux George & Barbara Bush Foundation Liaison Kansas State University - B.B.M. Serving HC Since 2024
Lisa Hawkins Innovation Programs Associate Director; Department Chair, Science; Innovation Studies Instructor; Science Instructor Email University of North Carolina-Greensboro - B.A. Montana State University - M.S. Serving HC Since 2021
Michael Bredeweg Science Instructor; Innovation Studies Instructor; Tennis Assistant Coach Email Grand Valley State University - B.S. Grand Valley State University - M.Ed. Serving HC Since 2017
Matthew Copeland Math Instructor; Distinguished Scholars Program Advisor Email Louisiana State University - B.S. Serving HC Since 2022
Jeff Faircloth Bible Instructor; Leadership Instructor; JV Baseball Head Coach; Football Assistant Coach; JV Football Head Coach Email Sam Houston State University - B.S. Sam Houston State University - M.A. Serving HC Since 2015
Whit Goodwin Bible Instructor; Leadership Instructor Email Samford University - B.A. Samford University - M.Div The University of Alabama - M.A. Azusa Pacific University - Ph.D. Serving HC Since 2025
Darrin Hanson Social Sciences Instructor; Distinguished Scholars Program Instructor Email Grove City College - B.A. University of Nebraska - M.A. The University of Texas - Ph.D. Serving HC Since 2025
Kelly Oliver English Instructor; Distinguished Scholars Program Instructor Email University of Kansas - B.A. University of Houston - M.A. Sam Houston State University - Ed.D. Serving HC Since 2022
Jeff Rollins Leadership Studies Instructor Email Wheaton College - B.A. National University - M.A. Serving HC Since 2024
Mike Skinner Chaplain; Distinguished Scholars Program Advisor Email Houston Baptist University - B.A. Houston Baptist University - M.A. Serving HC Since 2022