Educators Rising, a career and technical education student organization of local chapters as well as statewide and national networks of students, teachers, and education leaders, aims to inspire high school and college students to serve their communities by pursuing careers in the education field. North High School junior Sophia Gielow, a new member of the district-wide Educators Rising chapter that includes students from both North High School and South High School, was recently named an Educators Rising Ambassador for the 2021-2022 school year.

Participation in Educators Rising provides students like Sophia opportunities to explore careers in education and prepare for their chosen profession through conferences, competitions, and classroom experiences such as tutoring and volunteering. 

Student leadership is an important aspect of the organization, which strives to diversify the educator workforce and add student voice to national discussions about education. Student leaders, including Ambassadors, engage in critical conversations at all levels to provide student perspective, sharing their opinions and experiences.

One of only 14 Ambassadors from across the United States, Sophia completed a lengthy application in September and learned of her appointment in October. “As an Ambassador, I will raise awareness of Educators Rising through social media,” she said, “and will join online meetings with the officers and President of the organization.”

Sophia is also involved in cheer and Youth Tutoring Youth, providing individual or small group tutoring assistance to students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. She plans to go to college for education with a concentration in special education. Sophia would like to teach first or second grade and someday start a family.

“So far, my experience with Educators Rising has been great,” Sophia said, “and I am excited to see what the future holds.”

When asked about Sophia, Leighanne Metter-Jensen, Youth Tutoring Youth Coordinator, and Ruth Stenz, Family & Consumer Science teacher and Educators Rising advisor at North High School, shared that Sophia is always willing to explore the many facets of education. “She’s very in tune with student needs,” they added.

Educators Rising provides a clear career pathway for students and allows for increased teacher diversity and teacher quality, assisting school districts in cultivating their own next generation of highly skilled educators through a “grow your own” initiative. According to the Educators Rising website, nearly sixty percent of teachers take positions with school districts within 20 miles of where they themselves went to school.

Andrea Holschbach, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, stated that the Sheboygan Area School District is excited to support the Educators Rising opportunity for students. “The program is increasing in numbers,” she said. “The district will benefit by growing our potential candidate pool with our very own students, which is a great thing for our district and our students. We thank Sophia for her contributions to Educators Rising on the national level.”

Educators Rising Wisconsin and Educators Rising National is open to students in grades 7 through 12 as well as at the collegiate level. For more information, visit the Educators Rising website.

Related links: LU, Sheboygan Area School District partner to diversify local classrooms