High school students from across eastern Iowa gathered at the Iowa Memorial Union for the annual Educators Rising State Conference and Competitions, an event designed to inspire the next generation of educators and provide students with a closer look at the teaching profession.

Co-sponsored by the University of Iowa College of Education and the Iowa State Education Association, the conference welcomed students and staff from Clear Creek Amana, Davenport, Highland, Iowa City, and West Liberty school districts. The event brought together an estimated 50 aspiring educators from a range of communities to learn from current teachers, participate in sessions, and explore pathways into the profession.

“Being on campus and engaging in this conference helps high school students envision their future in the education profession. This kind of early exposure allows students to step into the role of emerging professionals who are invited into real classrooms, real conversation, and real communities of learning with other Educators Rising students across the state,” says Associate Director of School Partnerships and Global Education Initiatives Amira Nash, who had been an integral part of planning the annual state conference for the last three years.

Educators Rising is a national program that helps students interested in education develop leadership skills and explore teaching careers through chapters, curriculum, and competitions. 

The day began with a keynote address from Melanie Bloom, the 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year, who encouraged students to think about what makes learning meaningful and how teachers can create those moments in the classroom.

Bloom, a secondary career and technical educator with more than 16 years of experience, challenged students to reflect on their own learning experiences and the educators who influenced them.

“Think about a time learning felt real,” Bloom told students. “What made that experience meaningful, and what did your teachers do to make it that way?”

Drawing from her own journey growing up on a northwest Iowa farm and later becoming an agricultural education teacher, Bloom spoke about the impact educators can have through everyday interactions with students.

“One conversation, one question, one moment can change someone’s life,” Bloom says. “As teachers, we have the opportunity to help students discover something amazing and guide them toward their futures.”

Throughout the day, students attended interactive sessions and workshops designed to help them think about teaching strategies and classroom engagement. Sessions led by UI College of Education faculty, staff, alumni, and teacher leaders from different districts focused on different teaching styles, nontraditional learning, and AI. Some College of Education faculty opened their classrooms to allow attendees to observe.

For Chandler Gingerich, a junior at West Liberty High School, a class observation incorporating movement into classroom lessons stood out.

“The first session I went to was really fun,” Gingerich says. “It showed how teachers can use movement during class to help students remember things better. I think that’s something I could use to make learning more interactive.”

Students also reflected on the educators who inspired their own interest in teaching.

“I want to be the teacher that I looked up to when I was younger,” says Alice Thrasher, a sophomore at West Liberty High School. “The teachers who were calm but also pushed students to do their best and helped people learn in the way that worked for them.”

For Uniah Palmer, a junior at Iowa City West High School, the conference expanded her understanding of what teaching involves.

“I learned that teaching isn’t just about delivering lessons,” Palmer says. “It’s about interacting with students and being aware of their needs every day.”

Similarly, Izzy Berwald, a freshman at Highland High School, says the experience strengthened her desire to help future students better understand the world around them.

“I want to be better for the future generations,” Berwald says. “I want students to learn the real history and the real aspects of the world.”

Educators and counselors attending the event also emphasized the importance of programs like Educators Rising in helping students see themselves as future teachers.

Peggy Schwab, a school counselor at Highland High School and a University of Iowa College of Education alumna, says the conference helps students recognize that they have the potential to make a difference in the lives of others.

“I have a lot of pride in being an Iowa-trained school counselor,” Schwab says. “Events like this create space for students to see what’s possible and to realize they can make an impact for others through education.” 

Through opportunities like the Educators Rising State Conference, the University of Iowa College of Education and its partners continue working to support Iowa’s future teachers –encouraging students to imagine themselves in the classroom and helping them take their first steps toward the profession.