Jan. 29, 2026
Canva, Kids, And Coffee-Fueled Score Gains
The buzz of a great education conference can change a school year. From the floor of LACUE in New Orleans, we sit down with Gladys from St. Landry Parish to explore how curiosity about AI, beginner-friendly Canva workflows, and trusted practice materials can turn everyday lessons into steady student growth. She brings 15 years in the classroom to the table, sharing why those eureka moments still guide every decision and how thoughtful prompts help students discover ideas for themselves.
Website: spotlight4success.com
00:06 - Conference Welcome In New Orleans
00:24 - Guest Introduction And Role
00:38 - Why Attend LACUE And Goals
00:57 - Exploring AI And Canva
01:09 - Remembering Classroom Eureka Moments
01:42 - Company Overview And Materials
02:43 - District Use And Results
03:20 - Commitment To Growth And Scores
03:44 - Closing Thanks And Takeaway
WEBVTT
00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:09.599
Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book Company.
00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:11.919
I am Devin Pentosi, your host.
00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:18.000
We are here in New Orleans at the LACU 2025 Conference.
00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.519
We are here with our special guest, Gladys Melissaw.
00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:22.960
Thank you for joining us today.
00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:24.320
Thank you for having me.
00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:25.039
Wonderful.
00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:26.719
Gladys joins us from St.
00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:28.079
Larry Par uh St.
00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:34.880
Landry Parish, and uh we're looking forward to learning more about the things you're doing and uh what brings you here.
00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:37.840
Can you tell us a little bit about what brought you here to LACU?
00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:45.759
Well, in the past, I've heard so many good things about um the tools and resources that LACU offers for educators.
00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.759
So when I had the opportunity to sign up, I said um I was interested.
00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:51.280
Oh, that's wonderful.
00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:56.799
Um, is there a particular um area of interest within LACU that you'd like to learn more about?
00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:06.640
Um expanding my knowledge on AI and I just attended a session on Canva for beginners, so I'm I'm interested in looking um into more about Canva.
00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:07.760
Oh, nice.
00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:09.200
Okay, great.
00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:21.359
And uh can you tell me a bit about is there a special moment like uh when you were in the classroom or or since then, um now that you're in the new position, where you're like, this is why I got into education?
00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:25.599
The light bulb moments for kids.
00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:26.159
Yes.
00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:37.359
Um when you know you try to probe them so that they can discover new information, and when they finally do hit that eureka, um, it's very um fulfilling.
00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:38.640
That's very fulfilling.
00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:39.680
That's awesome.
00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:42.319
That's gotta be, you know, that's that's a beautiful thing.
00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:45.200
Thank you for watching Spotlight for Success.
00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:50.239
I am David Pentosi, the chief operating officer of American Book Company.
00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:54.640
We are located here in our headquarters in Woodstock, Georgia.
00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.239
All of our materials are printed in the USA.
00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:02.719
We have to do it.
00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.879
These materials are all designed.
00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:31.039
You can get free samples of our materials either in print or in electronic format at abc12.com.
00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:33.199
We look forward to hearing from you.
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:34.719
It is.
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:39.120
Uh can you uh oh um can you let me know?
00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:41.759
Let's see, uh let's see what else we want to talk about.
00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:52.240
Do you use um I understand you you uh ordered a lot of materials in the classroom this year um or you have, and I know you've used for a couple companies, is that right?
00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:57.919
Our district did purchase um in 2022 some ABC books.
00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:06.400
Well prior to that, when I was in the classroom for 15 years, um, we did also use the ABC book, the Leap Practice Success Success Book.
00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:07.039
Great.
00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:09.759
And um I did see success with the book.
00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:10.400
Wonderful.
00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:19.439
And I'm hoping, well, this is a new position for me, but I'm also hoping that the teachers that I serve, their kids also grow based on um utilizing that book.
00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:20.479
Oh, that's great.
00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:24.319
Yeah, well, you know we guarantee score improvements, so that's awesome, that's what we need.
00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:25.360
Yes, there we go.
00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:26.400
So that's wonderful.
00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:31.520
I'm glad you uh trusted us enough to go on ahead and order district wide now and see uh see what's to see.
00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:34.159
They should, absolutely, yes, they should.
00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:35.039
Absolutely.
00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:39.039
It's really important, you know, keep those scores high and and and get them higher.
00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.479
I always have those kids uh focused on achievement and success.
00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:43.280
I agree.
00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:44.719
Yeah, that's awesome.
00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:50.560
So um, do you have anything you'd like to share with the LACU community for them to like a takeaway to remember?
00:03:52.400 --> 00:04:04.400
Um, I just want to say thanks for the opportunity and keep advancing, educators, because technology um is gonna help mold the future learners.
00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:05.840
Oh, so true.
00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:06.719
Thanks so much.
00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:07.759
That's that's great.
00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:11.759
Uh once again, uh Gladys Melosaw, thank you for joining us today from St.
00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:12.719
Landry Parish.
00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:13.520
You're welcome.
00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:14.560
Thanks for having me.
00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:09.599
00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:11.919
00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:18.000
00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.519
00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:22.960
00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:24.320
00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:25.039
00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:26.719
00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:28.079
00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:34.880
00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:37.840
00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:45.759
00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.759
00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:51.280
00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:56.799
00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:06.640
00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:07.760
00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:09.200
00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:21.359
00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:25.599
00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:26.159
00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:37.359
00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:38.640
00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:39.680
00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:42.319
00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:45.200
00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:50.239
00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:54.640
00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.239
00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:02.719
00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.879
00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:31.039
00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:33.199
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:34.719
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:39.120
00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:41.759
00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:52.240
00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:57.919
00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:06.400
00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:07.039
00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:09.759
00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:10.400
00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:19.439
00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:20.479
00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:24.319
00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:25.360
00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:26.400
00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:31.520
00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:34.159
00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:35.039
00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:39.039
00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.479
00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:43.280
00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:44.719
00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:50.560
00:03:52.400 --> 00:04:04.400
00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:05.840
00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:06.719
00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:07.759
00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:11.759
00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:12.719
00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:13.520
00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:14.560
