WilmU marks 10 years as primary sponsor of Delaware Educators Rising Conference
The Delaware Educators Rising conference for middle school, high school and college students returned this year from March 7 through 8 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Wilmington, Delaware.
L to R: Ashley Wilson, CoELA Teacher Prep; Dr. Michael Curry, Teacher Prep; Lara Crowley, Chair, Undergraduate Teacher Prep; Taylor Colman, 1st Place winner
“Wilmington University has been a primary sponsor of Educators Rising for over 10 years,” says Dr. Tyler Wells, assistant professor and director of Teacher Preparation, Partnerships, and Community Outreach in WilmU’s College of Education. “This year, our entire Teacher Preparation team participated as well. Our deep involvement is a sign of our commitment to teaching and those who will be entering the profession.”
An affiliate of the Delaware Department of Education and the Delaware Teacher Academy, the Delaware chapter of Educators Rising provides students with the opportunity to participate annually in professional development events, educational competitions, and networking events to expand their experience as rising stars on the path to becoming K-12 educators.
Students who attend the conference demonstrate their teaching ability by competing in various ways, from conducting a presentation or teaching a lesson to debating an issue. WilmU awards scholarships to competition winners in first through third place.
L to R: Ashley Wilson, CoELA Teacher Prep; Dr. Michael Curry, Teacher Prep; Kaylea Patterson, 2nd Place winner; Lara Crowley, Chair, Undergraduate Teacher Prep
“Our partnerships with various district Teacher Academies give us insight to the districts’ needs in growing their own future teachers,” says Wells. “And we support those students who are using the Academy as their pathway into teaching careers. The scholarships are our investment in the future of those students and the impact we know they’ll have as teachers.”
The top winners and scholarship awardees of this year’s competition are:
- First place – Taylor Colman, Smyrna High School
- Second Place – Kaylea Patterson, Appoquinimink High School
- Third Place – Grayson Baltazar, Cape Henlopen High School
“WilmU partners with all Delaware school districts to ensure that middle and high school students have pathways to careers in K-12 education in Delaware,” states Dr. Rob Rescigno, assistant vice president of Partnerships and Community Affairs at Wilmington University. “The Delaware Education Rising Conference allows students to showcase their talents, build their confidence, and experience the feeling of providing true service to their communities.”
L to R: Background: Ashley Wilson, CoELA Teacher Prep; Dr. Tyler Wells, Director, Teacher Prep, Partnerships & Community Outreach. Foreground: Dr. Michael Curry, Chair, Secondary Education; Grayson Baltazar, 3rd Place winner; Lara Crowley, Chair, Undergraduate Teacher Prep
“Winning the competition gave me hope for my future,” says Grayson Baltazar, one of the three 2023 Educators Rising scholarship winners. “Not only will I be able to help the future of our community, it also helps me become the first person to graduate from college in my family. I cannot thank Wilmington University enough for giving me this opportunity.”
The annual conference featured workshops, instructional presentations, competitions and networking events for the participants. The scholarships and other awards were presented to the winning students on March 8.
“Our education system can only benefit from the recognition of the future teachers who excel in healthy competition at Educators Rising,” Wells adds. “It is Wilmington University’s honor to participate and ensure that the winners are rewarded with scholarships that will help them to meet their education and career goals.”