Students attending the Delaware Educators Rising conference, hosted by University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development, engage in lively conversation before the event’s keynote presentations.

Rising educators

Article by Jessica Henderson Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson and Shelly Silva March 04, 2024

UD hosts engaging Delaware education conference for middle school, high school and college students

For the first time, the University of Delaware College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) hosted the Delaware Educators Rising education conference for middle school, high school and college students Feb. 21-22 at Trabant University Center in Newark. More than 300 students attended from schools across the state.

The conference, hosted annually in partnership with the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) and the Delaware Teacher Academies, supports Delaware public school students interested in becoming teachers by providing professional development and networking opportunities. The event featured remarks from state of Delaware leadership, DDOE and educational professionals, workshops, instructional presentations, competitions, networking events, admissions resources, a college fair and a UD prep rally for conference participants.

In line with its commitment to providing high-quality teacher preparation and service to Delaware children, families and communities, CEHD annually sponsors the event in partnership with the DDOE and other universities.

“We eagerly embraced the opportunity to host and support the Educators Rising conference,” said Jamie Bailey, CEHD recruiter for teacher preparation programs and coordinator of UD’s participation this year. “But our intention extended beyond hosting the conference. It was also about opening the doors to future educators. Through campus tours, interactions with faculty and staff and engaging in mock lectures, our aim was to acquaint participants with the rich educational environment at UD. We aspired to kindle their interest and inspire a continued pursuit of their passion for teaching.”

In her opening remarks on Feb. 21, Delaware Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long echoed this commitment to future educators, emphasizing the important societal role that educators play.

“There is nothing that gets me more excited than looking at our future educators,” Hall-Long said. “As a professor, a research scientist and a nurse, I can tell you that, as teachers, you are the foundation of our future success.”

Throughout the two-day event, CEHD and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) faculty and staff shared information about UD teacher preparation programs and served as conference presenters, competition judges and education mentors for participants.

CEHD also sponsored the first place gold awards in the Children’s Literature Pre-K and K-3 varsity competitions and the first place gold awards in the Children Literature, Spanish Pre-K and K-3 varsity competitions for high school students. On Feb. 22, Gary T. Henry, dean of CEHD, presented these awards to the recipients in each category and spoke with award winners about their enthusiasm for education.

CEHD Dean Gary T. Henry (center) poses for a picture with competition winners Bella Tabor (left) and Alyssa Saporsa (right) after presenting their awards.

Alyssa Saporsa, a high school student at St. George’s Technical High School, won the first place gold award in the Children’s Literature K-3 varsity competition with classmate Bella Tabor.

“I’m very excited and very proud,” Saporsa said. “I loved being at UD. It was a very good experience. I felt very welcomed and supported here.”

Kaylea Patterson, a UD cognitive science major with a pre-professional speech/language pathology specialization, won the first place gold award in the Public Speaking collegiate competition. She is one of 80 students who will compete in the national competition this July and the first student from UD to do so.

“When I committed to UD, I knew they had an Educators Rising collegiate chapter, but no one from UD had ever competed at the state conference. When I had the opportunity to be the first student from UD to compete at the state level, I came into it knowing I had a lot to prove,” Patterson said. “I gave a speech regarding the good things happening in the public education system that are pushed aside by the continuous flow of negativity in the media, and how educators can change the world's perception of public education. I am excited to attend nationals in Washington, D.C. and represent UD at the national level.”

Patterson is also a member of UD’s Educators Rising collegiate chapter and encourages anyone with an interest in education to join. Bailey serves as the staff advisor.

“Educators Rising at UD is significant to me because of the community it creates among all interested in education, not just those on the path to becoming classroom teachers,” said Patterson. “The members of UD Educators Rising have a wide range of majors, such as elementary education, secondary education and education minors. We meet twice a month to discuss coursework and current issues or topics in education while doing a fun activity.”

Jamie Bailey, CEHD recruiter for teacher preparation programs, poses for a photo with College of Arts and Sciences student Kaylea Patterson after she wins the first place gold award in the Public Speaking collegiate competition.

Jamie Bailey (left), CEHD recruiter for teacher preparation programs, poses for a photo with College of Arts and Sciences student Kaylea Patterson after she wins the first place gold award in the Public Speaking collegiate competition.

Becoming a teacher at UD

In addition to supporting events like the Educators Rising conference, UD provides many pathways to becoming a teacher, offering innovative teacher education and graduate education degree programs in CEHD and CAS as well as non-degree certification programs. Committed to their students’ success, UD faculty and staff guide students through field placements, certification, teacher residencies and more so that their students can make a difference in the lives of children, families and communities in Delaware and around the globe.

Housed within CEHD, the UD Center for Excellence and Equity in Teacher Preparation (CEETP) provides support services for students and faculty across 28 UD undergraduate and graduate education programs and partners with schools and districts throughout the region. CEETP brings expertise in teacher education and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion to all of its university services and educational initiatives, such as CEHD’s Teachers of Tomorrow pipeline program for underrepresented high school students and the Delaware Teacher Residency program for CEHD teacher education students.

To learn more about becoming a teacher at UD, visit CEEPT’s webpage.

About Educators Rising

Educators Rising, a national organization with chapters in all 50 states, provides middle school, high school and college students interested in education careers with the opportunity to participate in professional development events, engage in educational competitions and expand their experiences as rising educational professionals. The national organization provides its chapters with classroom resources and the opportunity to attend the national conference where members, teacher leaders and educators showcase the skills they have gained in their education and training programs.

To learn more about the Delaware chapter of Educators Rising or review the event program, visit its webpage.