Creating Confidence Through Creativity
At Scotsdale Elementary in El Paso, Texas, a group of third graders gathered around their Chromebooks for a "spooky tech mystery" assignment in Adobe Express. One student debated between titling her poster "The Day the Wi-Fi Vanished" or "Revenge of the Chromebook." Another focused on solving the case of the missing tech teacher.
Laughter rippled across the room as ideas grew funnier and eerily plausible. What started as a simple creative warm-up became an opportunity to blend humor, imagination, and digital tools.
Moments like this have become increasingly common across Ysleta Independent School District (ISD). Behind this momentum stands an educator who believed teachers deserved a gentler, more joyful way to explore creative tools.
A Homegrown Solution for Teacher Training
Ysleta ISD, one of El Paso's largest and most historic districts with 59 campuses, requires educators to complete six hours of Gifted & Talented (GT) credit every two years. Innovative Learning Specialist and Adobe Creative Educator Innovator Mesha Daniel wondered if those hours could serve a different purpose: helping teachers experience creativity the way students do—with curiosity, not pressure.
Instead of waiting for a ready-made program, Daniel built one herself. After validating requirements with the local education service center, she created a six-session, self-paced professional development course for teachers in Adobe Express. Every participant submitted a creative artifact that Daniel personally reviewed.
Her approach made learning welcoming, flexible, and immediately usable. Within the first year, more than 1,000 educators across the district completed her Adobe Express courses, summer academies, and Tacobout Tech Tuesday sessions.
The results speak for themselves. Ysleta classrooms produced 23,600 projects in 2024 and 27,600 in 2025—a 17% jump since Daniel introduced her GT trainings. Today, 40% of users return to Adobe Express every month, showing it has become integral to how teachers and students learn and create.
"Teachers love that Adobe Express is easy to use and that there's support behind it," Daniel said. "They can explore, try things, and feel confident bringing it to their students."
Teachers Empowering Student Voices
Two teachers—Valerie Renteria and Veronica Macias—demonstrate how Daniel's work reaches students in deeply personal and meaningful ways.
Valerie Renteria, a Scotsdale Elementary technology teacher with 15 years of experience, uses Adobe Express in weekly sessions with second through fifth graders and gifted students. Beyond design skills, she builds competencies in typing, vocabulary, trackpad navigation, and communication.
Renteria's "spooky tech mystery" assignment, inspired by a real Amazon server failure, captures what she loves about Adobe Express. Students transform everyday moments into playful, imaginative stories, learning as they go. Many surprise her by connecting creative choices to content they're learning across the curriculum.
"Children are sponges," Renteria said. "They run with whatever you give them, and Adobe Express helps them bring their ideas to life in a way they feel proud of."
Veronica Macias, technology teacher at East Point Elementary, reaches every student in her school through rotating technology classes. For her, Adobe Express serves as an inviting entry point that feels colorful, intuitive, and unintimidating for young learners.
Macias guides students through projects where they step into different roles: graphic designers creating infographics about themselves, filmmakers making commercials for imaginary restaurants, or video creators crafting messages for friends and family.
"I want them to feel comfortable clicking around, trying things, and not worrying about doing it wrong," Macias said. "Adobe Express helps them explore."
She's also collaborating with classroom teachers to integrate Adobe Express into assignment planning, showing that creativity doesn't have to be an add-on. It can be another way students demonstrate what they understand across math, reading, and social studies.
Building a Culture of Encouragement
Daniel's support for teachers extends well beyond formal professional development. She and a colleague created the "Hope Chest"—reminders that creativity can feel joyful even on busy days. The initiative began with handwritten notes around the district and evolved into weekly messages with short videos and ready-to-use templates.
That same spirit guides work across Ysleta ISD, where teachers experiment with new project ideas and weave Adobe Express into daily instruction. Students discover fresh ways to share their voices because their teachers feel supported enough to try something new.
"When teachers feel encouraged, they open doors for students," Daniel said. "The impact reaches far beyond the classroom."
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TL;DR
- 1,000+ teachers trained in 1 year: Mesha Daniel's self-paced Adobe Express courses reached all Ysleta ISD educators within 12 months- Project output surged 17%: From 23,600 (2024) to 27,600 (2025), with 40% of users returning monthly
- Bottom-up support works: Teacher empowerment leads to student confidence and sustainable adoption across districts