Future Maricopa teachers headed to nationals

Eight students from Maricopa and Desert Sunrise high schools are headed to Orlando, Florida, this weekend to compete in the Educators Rising national conference.  

EdRising is a three-year program offered to MUSD high school students who hope to become teachers within the district, providing hands-on experience from a young age.  

From June 29 to July 3, the prospective teachers will represent Arizona as they showcase their teaching and public speaking skills, and network with other members from across the country.  

The Maricopa group recently dominated the competition during state championships in March, bringing home several top 10 honors and a first-place award. 

Alexa Gomez Fuller took first place in her event, Exploring Administration Careers. 

“I can’t be more proud of all of us,” Fuller said. 

EdRising students enroll in additional courses, participate in leadership conferences, attend educational field trips and work with other schools in the district.  

Among this year’s highlights, student Melia Yoshikawa said members of the program had accumulated 21 intern hours, begun the early stages of learning American Sign Language and attended a workshop at Arizona State University.   

Desert Sunrise adviser Allie Krigbaum added it has been a productive first year for the program.  

“We spent time in elementary schools, we were on committees at our school, we had to plan our winter formal, so we did a lot of activities,” she said.   

For information about the program, visit www.educatorsrising.org.