A group of 13 students from Nome traveled to Orlando last month to compete in the Educators Rising national competition. The organization helps train and inspire new generations of educators through teacher preparation programs at higher education institutions.
At the national competition, students split into categories and partnered up for presentations in front of a panel of judges. Nome-Beltz Middle High School students Levi Pederson and Granite Peacock competed in the public service announcement category. Pederson said their performance didn’t get off to the smoothest start.
“We wrote a whole script and, like, tried to memorize the lines real quick, and we just couldn't,” Pederson recalled. “We just started bursting laughing every word we spoke, and we're like, should we say this?”
Moments before presenting, the soon-to-be-juniors got it together.
“Right when the time came and the judges asked us to go in, we were like, took a deep breath,” Pederson said. “We couldn't look at each other because we'd laugh, but we got it done.”
The nerves, they said, came from it being their first year competing in Ed Rising. But Peacock said he took some comfort in knowing they weren’t the only Alaskans at the competition 4,000 miles from home.
“I was surprised how many other people from Alaska were at that conference. It was like 40 something kids,” Peacock said. “It was cool.”
Rachel Finney is the school’s Ed Rising sponsor. She said the team handled the pressure well and came prepared.
“More than ever before, I saw my students really take the time to understand the guidelines in the rubrics of the competitions, little tiny details that you have to include to stand a chance at placing,” Finney said.
Among the 3,500 students at the competition, Pederson and Peacock earned fourth in the JV public service announcements category. Incoming senior, Sara James, earned ninth in varsity public speaking. Despite missing out on the podium, Finney said she was proud of her entire team.
“I was certain that everybody did their very best, because I saw them put in that time, and I saw them make those corrections from state to nationals and to have a team and another student place in the semifinals, that's awesome too,” Finney said.
Finney also took a turn presenting at the event, with two sessions called “Be the Change: Inspiring Students through Inquiry-Based Research” and “Authentic Student Networking”. She said the presentations leaned on her experience teaching at Nome-Beltz, giving attendees unique insights into life as an educator and professional in rural Alaska.
Fun in the sun
The trip was more than just a chance to compete on the national stage.
“I always think if we're going all the way across the country, we're gonna stay longer and we're gonna have some fun,” Finney said.
Soon after the three-day competition, the team headed to Gatorland. Despite pouring rain, Pederson said the alligator swamp was his favorite stop.
“Gatorland was sick. There was a lot of gators there, they looked fake. We walked in, they had their mouths open. I'm like, those are robots, and they started moving,” Pederson said.
The students also spent a day at Universal Studios, spent time on the beach and played mini golf. For some, Finney said, it was their first time.
“It's really fun for me to watch you professionally make those networking connections at conference. And then it's also fun to go mini golfing,” Finney said. “Or first time eating at some new fast food place. And so all of those firsts really stand out to me, even if it's something I've done before.”
The trip was bittersweet for Finney. She left her role as an English teacher at Nome-Beltz at the end of the school year, making this her last trip as a chaperone. She said she’ll still be involved with Ed Rising next year as an adjunct professor at University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Peacock said his teacher and coach will be missed.
“Miss Finney was like, the best teacher at Nome-Beltz. And she was also like, super amazing there on that trip and for like, the fundraising and stuff,” Peacock said. “So yeah, she was super cool.”
Finney said the team is looking for a new sponsor for next year. But for now, she’s soaking up the good memories.
“I couldn't have asked for a better trip. I couldn't have asked for a better group of students,” Finney said. “Though I'm sad to leave the Nome-Beltz chapter of Ed Rising, I am so proud of what you've all accomplished, and I'm so thankful to have had these opportunities to travel with you.”
