K-12 Outreach Offices Educators Rising Alaska students shine at national conference

Students participating in Educators Rising Alaska, housed under K-12 Outreach Offices, showcased their talents at the Educators Rising National Conference. The conference was held in Washington, D.C., June 27-30, 2024, marking a successful culmination of months of hard work and dedication.

After excelling in the state competition in February, where the top 10 finishers qualified for nationals, the students earned their chance to compete on a national stage. Those who placed first at the state level received registration and travel stipends from Ed Rising AK to support their journey to Nationals.

Hosted by Educators Rising, a subsidiary of PDK International, the event was the largest in its history, drawing approximately 3,500 students from all 50 states. The conference featured a variety of breakout sessions focused on leadership, lesson and financial planning, assessment building, and college readiness. Students also had the opportunity to engage with colleges from across the country, exploring various educational paths and opportunities.

Our students demonstrated remarkable progress in their chosen competitions, leveraging feedback from state judges to refine their presentations. The results were outstanding, with 17 competitors (or groups) finishing in the top 10.

First Place Overall Placements:

• Courtney Boskofsky, Chignik Lake School - Exploring Support Services Careers (Middle School)
• Anfisa Matveev, Joe Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School, Wasilla - Children's Literature Pre-K
• Morgan Carlson-Kelly, Nikolaevsk Elementary High School, Anchor Point - Job Interview (JV)
• Shi MacGregor, Bartlett High School, Anchorage - Creative Lecture (High School)
• Isabelle Stryken & Sarah Barnard, Bartlett High School, Anchorage - Children's Literature (K-3)

Second Place Finishers:

• Blaine Paje, Tukur Language School, Stebbins - Public Speaking (JV)
• Veronica Stryken, Bartlett High School, Anchorage - Job Interview (JV)
• Marcellina Fagaltinmad, Palmer High School, Palmer - Lesson Planning and Delivery: Humanities (JV)
• Emily Reich, Palmer High School - Lesson Planning and Delivery: STEM (JV)

Third Place Finishers:

• Julianna Hernandez, Annie Downey, and Jennie Jackson, Kotzebue - Public Service Announcement
• Hattie Nattanguk & Quinton Bahnke, Nome Beltz Jr-Sr High School, Nome - Children's Literature (K-3)

These achievements highlight the exceptional talents and hard work of our students and their teachers, making us proud and optimistic about the future of education in Alaska.

Educators Rising is a program focused on inspiring middle and high school aged students considering going into the education field. The Alaska chapter introduces students to the three main UA campuses, rotating annually between each for the Educators Rising Alaska Statewide Leadership Conference, held in February each year. Competitions occur virtually just prior to this annual conference.

For more information, contact Florence Scott.