Utah Valley University (UVU) School of Education students earned national recognition at the Educators Rising National Conference, held June 20-23 in Portland, Oregon, with four Wolverines finishing among the top 10 in their respective events.
Representing UVU’s Educators Rising chapter, students Rachel Lindsey, James Rodriguez, Kason Wamsley, and Jessica Markland each earned national semifinalist honors while competing against future educators from colleges and universities across the country.
“Watching our students excel at the national level affirms the mission of the School of Education to prepare exceptional educators,” said Rhet Rowley, assistant dean of UVU’s School of Education. “These students challenged themselves through meaningful, authentic demonstrations of their teaching talents, and their success reflects the strength of our program and the bright future they have ahead of them.”
Educators Rising is a national Career and Technical Student Organization dedicated to developing the next generation of teachers. UVU established its Educators Rising chapter two years ago as part of the university’s Future Educators of UVU organization, providing aspiring teachers with opportunities to develop and demonstrate their teaching skills through competitive events.
Lindsey and Rodriguez worked collaboratively to write and illustrate an original children’s book, earning sixth place in the Children’s Literature – Higher Education competition. Markland also competed in the Children’s Literature category, writing and illustrating her own original children’s book and finishing among the nation’s top 10 competitors.
Wamsley competed in the Educators Rising Moment competition, delivering a speech about the experiences and inspiration that led to pursuing a career in education. Wamsley also finished in the top 10 nationally.
Students first qualify for the national conference by earning high scores at the state competition, where they compete against students from colleges and universities throughout Utah. This year, 10 UVU students qualified for nationals in four competition categories, with four students traveling to Portland to compete.
The four national top-10 finishes reflect the continued growth of UVU’s Educators Rising chapter and the university’s commitment to preparing the next generation of educators through hands-on learning and professional development opportunities.
For more information about Educators Rising at UVU, please visit https://www.uvu.edu/school-of-ed/about/educators-rising.html.
