REXBURG—For BYU-Idaho alumna Alexis McKee, going the extra mile isn’t just a teaching strategy—it’s an award-winning philosophy. McKee was recently honored with the “Educate the Realm” award in Las Vegas, Nevada, recognizing her exceptional dedication to her students both inside and outside the classroom.
The prestigious recognition came as no surprise to her mentor and former professor, Ben Pacini, who noticed McKee's natural talent early on.
“She kind of got education on a deeper level," Pacini said. "All of a sudden, it started to click. It's like, oh, she gets this. She understands education. She was very laid back, and her work really impressed me.”
Pacini knew McKee was a gifted educator after asking her to serve as a teaching assistant for one of his classes focused on mental health. However, McKee’s original inspiration to step up to the chalkboard came from a completely different experience.
“I actually took a career training class where I taught in a first-grade classroom," McKee said. "That was really when I was first confident in my decision to go into education.”
When it the time came to develop her own teaching style, McKee looked at Pacini’s classroom as a blueprint for success, specifically his knack for connecting with students.
“I think the biggest thing I took from Brother Pacini’s class was his ability to build community within a classroom," McKee said. "So that really inspired me to take that and make it my own and try to form community with my middle school students ... when you build community, I think with the middle schoolers, it helps them feel safe to make mistakes.”
When Pacini first learned about McKee's award, his reaction was a mixture of pride and total certainty.
“In a very serious way, my first thought was, 'Of course she did, because she's a rock star,’" Pacini said. "It’s Alexis. Of course, she's going to be president someday. Like, Alexis is awesome.”
Today, McKee brings that same fierce optimism to her own classroom, looking at her students with the same belief Pacini once had in her.
“I teach in a Title 1 school, and a lot of these kids, they don't think they'll go to college," McKee said. "I see them at the beginning of the year, and I see their strengths and their weaknesses, and I see their potential. I have kids that I swear to you, someday they could be president.”
For those who feel a pull toward the classroom but might be hesitant to take the leap, both McKee and Pacini offer words of encouragement.
“If you feel like that is something you could be good at, if you feel the drive or the passion for it, we need you,” McKee said.
Pacini agrees, noting that the world is waiting for people to step into their unique talents.
“I think there's a deeper lesson here, and that is there are gifts that you have that the world needs," Pacini said. "I think the better question is, what makes you come alive? That also serves the world. And if we can blend those two things together, you're going to have a great life and a great career.”