STEVENS POINT – High school students from across the state will explore future career opportunities in education at the seventh annual Educators Rising Wisconsin Summit to be held March 6 at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Themed Take Flight and Soar, the summit runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes speakers and competitive events where students in grades 9-12 will showcase their developing career-related skills.
Lori Danz, the 2023 Wisconsin State Teacher of the Year, will serve as this year’s keynote speaker with her talk, “What Nature can Teach Us About Connection.” Breakout sessions will be facilitated by educators, and 16 colleges and professional organizations will take part in a recruitment fair.
Nearly 300 students from 30 school districts will attend, including Abbotsford, Appleton, Granton, Greenwood, Hortonville, Iola-Scandinavia, Pittsville, Rhinelander, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids.
“Educators Rising provides opportunities to explore education careers, develop skills necessary for effective teaching and make informed decisions about pathways to achieve their professional goals,” said Lynda Fernholz, UW-Stevens Point professor and assistant dean for the School of Education. “The organization cultivates highly skilled educators by guiding young people from high school through college and into the teaching profession.”
The program is a direct solution to address school staffing shortages in Wisconsin.
“It supports and educates the next generation of teachers even before they graduate high school,” said Peggy Wirtz-Olsen, a teacher and president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council. “Over half of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years, often citing lack of support and feeling unprepared. Educators Rising helps students develop strong leadership traits that are required of today’s high-quality teachers.”
Learn more at www.uwsp.edu/educatorsrising.
