College of Arts and Sciences Supports Educators Rising Utah Competition, Awards Scholarships

LOGAN, Utah — The College of Arts and Sciences at Utah State University recently supported the Educators Rising Utah competition at Weber State University, helping inspire future educators and expand pathways into the teaching profession.

The college awarded two $250 scholarships to winners of the Lesson Planning & Delivery competitions in humanities and STEM. Scholarship recipients Leila Barker of Bonneville High School and Elliot Rock of Wasatch High School will advance to the national Educators Rising conference in June in Portland, Oregon.

Brynja Kohler, professor and associate dean for undergraduate studies in ArtSci, said the college’s involvement reflects its commitment to teacher preparation and outreach.

“The College of Arts and Sciences offered two scholarships, one for STEM lesson planning and delivery and another for humanities, because those fit well with where we train teachers in the college,” Kohler said. “It enabled students to go to the national competition.”

Kohler also highlighted the value of the experience for high school students exploring teaching careers.

“This event gives students a chance to see the richness of the teaching profession,” she said. “They get to design lessons, collaborate with others and reflect on how things went. It gives them a much deeper picture of what teaching entails, and it’s a really fun way to learn.”

As part of Educators Rising, the college also participated in Academic Alley, a networking and outreach space at the competition where universities connect with high school students to share information about academic programs, majors and career pathways.

ArtSci plans to continue strengthening partnerships with Educators Rising and regional schools to support future teachers and expand outreach opportunities across Utah.

For more information about the College of Arts and Sciences, visit its website. To learn more about Educators Rising, visit online.