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Students launch Danbury chapter of Educators Rising, cite scholarships and teacher-retention goals
Summary
Danbury High School staff and students outlined a new Educators Rising chapter, reporting about 40 student members, scholarship opportunities, a planned national conference trip and a daycare/preschool teaching lab tied to the academy program.
Angela Smith, a teacher at Danbury High School, and colleagues presented the newly formed Danbury chapter of Educators Rising and asked the board to note the program's student-led activities and professional development opportunities.
The club, represented by Angela Smith and Amy Rozik (education-track teacher), has grown to about 40 active student members and aims to strengthen local teacher pipelines, provide student leadership opportunities and offer scholarship and networking options available through the national organization. "We really want this retention of Danbury students becoming Danbury teachers," Angela Smith said during the presentation.
Student leaders described planned community-facing activities, including adopting local schools for supply and book drives, hosting "parents' nights out" where students practice teaching techniques, and teacher-appreciation events. Sarah (student), identified as president of Educators Rising Club, said the chapter hopes to attend the national conference in Orlando, Florida, and is beginning fundraising to cover costs. The presenters said the chapter won a grant to support the program and that Danbury's chapter received statewide recognition; the transcript records that scholarships are attached to the chapter.
The club also connects to an on-campus preschool/daycare teaching lab that will begin serving at the end of the month; teachers in the academy run the lab as part of education and child-development courses and to provide hands-on experience for students aspiring to become educators.
Board members praised the student presentations; the transcript records no formal board action required or taken on the item.
The presentation emphasized student initiative and local workforce development goals—particularly increasing the number of locally trained teachers and paraprofessionals to meet district needs.
