TOP FINISHER — Recent Steubenville High School graduate Lorraine Kellermier placed seventh in her category at the 2024 National Educators Rising Conference in Washington, DC
STEUBENVILLE – Recent Steubenville High School graduate Lorraine Kellermier shined at the 2024 National Educators Rising Conference in Washington, D.C. this summer, placing in the top 10 in the competition.
Kellermier was one of more than 3,300 people who attended the June 27-July 1 event at the Marriott Marquis in the nation’s capital, and placed seventh in her category out of 33 applicants. According to the website, Educators Rising is a community-based movement of PDK International in which school groups fund teacher training programs at colleges with support from state education departments and local fundraisers and foundations. The goal is “to provide a clear path to improving the diversity and quality of the teaching workforce.”
“Educators Rising is an organization that supports students who want to become teachers one day,” explained Kellermier. “There is a club at my school that offers opportunities such as teaching experience, teaching training, and competitions and conferences. I had a lot of fun at this conference and competition.”
Kellermier, who lives in Wintersville with her guardian, Linda Schoppe, was president of the Educators Rising Club while at SHS and was involved in the drama club and the principal’s advisory board. She qualified for nationals after placing in the top 10 at the state meet and was pleased with her results at nationals.
“Although I just graduated from Steubenville High School, I participated in the conference and competition as a senior,” she said. “I received a certificate for seventh place in the Humanities Lesson Planning and Delivery category. For the competition, I created a lesson plan on nonsense poetry, recorded myself presenting this lesson to a real class, and sent it to the judges in advance. Afterwards, during the conference, I was asked many questions about the lesson and how the lesson was delivered. I was very pleased with the placement.”
She attended the course with instructor MJ Burkett and instructor Whitney Boni, and participated in breakout sessions when she wasn’t competing and did some sightseeing in her free time. Kellermier received her certificate upon returning home and is already preparing for the next chapter of her life.
“I’m going to Ohio University to study integrated language education,” she said.
Burkett was pleased with his student’s success and said she showed great promise for leading her own class.
“I am very proud of Lorraine’s achievements, especially her seventh place finish in the national Educators Rising competition. Lorraine has overcome many challenges in her young life and I am confident that she will use these experiences to build a deep connection with her future students,” Burkett commented. “I look forward to watching her realize her dream of becoming a teacher and making a difference in the lives of her students.”
