The Teaching Professions satellite program through Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical School sent students to the annual Educators Rising National Conference in June, resulting in nine top-10 placements.
High school students enrolled in the Teaching Professions program from Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical School (EFCTS) participate in a range of activities that give them glimpses into a variety of careers in education, including teaching, administration, library science, and support roles like counselors and speech pathologists. In addition to job shadowing, internships, and dual enrollment opportunities, participants also have the chance to enter competitions like the Educators Rising National Conference, which awards students for innovative ideas in education.
A recent news release from EFCTS details the most recent accomplishments of students who entered the annual Educators Rising National Conference, which took place virtually June 27. Among the nine awards received by students in the Teaching Professions program were three first-place wins, seven in the top-five, and nine in the top-ten placements. Instructor Robyn Helderbrand led the students and said, "I am extremely proud of these students. In such a challenging year for education, these students overcame many obstacles and worked very hard to accomplish their goals."
One of the first-place finishes was for Pre-K Children's Literature, awarded to Cami Weldon and Anneke Keesing and their book, "To Be A True Hero." The book was written and illustrated by the pair, focusing on qualities like bravery, honesty, and integrity. The entries in this category were judged on content, quality of writing and illustration, and depth of presentation.
Cooper Solomon also earned a first-place finish for his entry in the Educators Rising Moment category, which prompted entrants to prepare and deliver a three to four minute speech detailing a significant moment that led to their desire to become an educator. This category was judged based on content, speaking ability, and storytelling.
Another team of students, Ava Smith and Caitlyn Monaghan, entered the Interactive Bulletin Board category, new to the competition this year. The category encouraged students to develop a classroom tool to engage students on any single topic. Smith and Monaghan created an interactive bulletin board that focuses on math and graphing, making a game out of the activity to aid learning.
Other top-ten finishes were awarded to entries in a variety of categories including lesson planning, public speaking, researching learning challenges, and exploring administrative careers.