HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Northern Kentucky University hosted the Educators Rising conference on Friday. It brought in 330 students from 20 local high schools to take part in various competitions and get a head start on their potential future careers in education.

What You Need To Know

  • The Educators Rising Conference at NKU brought in 330 students from 20 local high schools to participate in various competitions and get a head start on their potential future careers in education.

  • Students participated in teaching-related competitions, like writing a lesson plan, writing a children’s book, and performing their “ed rising moment”

  • Last year NKU had 220 students at the conference, and of them, 21% are currently studying education at NKU

  • The hope for conferences like this one is to help light the fire for future teachers

There’s never really been any doubt for Conner High School sophomore Lily Kowalewski.

“Honestly, ever since I was in elementary school, I really wanted to go into education,” she said. “I just want to help people. And help kids learn.”

On Friday, she was in the right place.

She and other students participated in teaching-related competitions, like writing a lesson plan, writing a children’s book, and performing their “ed rising moment”- which is the moment they knew they wanted to be a teacher. That’s an important one, said Eileen Shanahan, department chair of Teacher Preparation and Educational Studies at NKU’s College of Education.

“It’s not the easiest profession out there. And we need really, really great teachers. So it’s exciting to see high school students who already have an interest,” Shanahan said.

Last year NKU had 220 students at the conference, and of them, 21% are currently studying education at NKU.

Kowalewski already has a leg up, taking the teacher education program at her high school, which is taught by Laura Smiley.

“There are kids like Lily that are born ready to be a teacher. And then we have kids that take it as an elective,” Smiley said. “They’re like, ‘oh, maybe it’ll be an easy class.’ They get into it, they work with preschoolers, or learn more about the program, and they’re like ‘oh my gosh I found my passion, this is what I want to do.’”

The hope for conferences like this one is to help light the fire for future teachers. Kowalewski said hers is already burning strong.

“Recently I’ve developed a passion for working with kids. I help teach at my dance studio. And I teach kids from ages four to 13. And honestly, just seeing their passion grow, and seeing them learn new things, it’s one of my favorite things ever,” she said.

As Kentucky continues to face a teacher shortage, she’ll have plenty of opportunities to make a difference soon.

Some of these students will compete at the state level at the Educators Rising state conference in Louisville this March. Based on that, some may qualify for the national conference this summer in Washington, D.C.

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