Emergent Educators Advisory Council

The Emergent Educators Advisory Council provides a platform for new rural educators to learn, share knowledge, connect, and lend their voice to critical national conversations around rural education.

The Emergent Educators Advisory Council is a working group of educators in their first three years of teaching from rural classrooms around the country. Members advise RSC on how to support the recruitment, preparation, and retention of rural teacher-leaders, and receive professional development in implementing Place-Based Education and grant-writing into their teaching practice. Council members are recent graduates of Rural Teacher Corps programs participating in the Rural Educator Ecosystem: Community of Learners. 

2026-27 Emergent Educators Advisory Council Cohort:

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Abbie Johnson

2025-27 EEAC Leader

Carthage, IL

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Jacob Jelesiewicz

2025-27 EEAC Leader

Evanston, WY

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Logan Nedrow

2024-27 EEAC Leader

North Powder, OR

Spotlight

Emergent Educators Advisory Council logo

Emergent Educators Advisory Council Mini-Grant Posters

As part of their year on the council, each member writes and receives a $500 grant from Rural Schools Collaborative to create and implement a Place-Based Education project. This gives councillors an opportunity to apply their learning and engage their students in a meaningful, unique project that explores local assets endemic to their respective rural communities. Each member created a poster that summarizes their project, which can be viewed below.

View Mini-Grant Posters

The latest Emergent Educators' Advisory Council

News and Stories

Emergent Educators Advisory Council 2nd Year Reflections: Logan Mackenzie (Oregon)

Emergent Educators Advisory Council 2nd Year Reflections: Logan Mackenzie

Emergent Educators Advisory Council 2nd Year Reflections: Bethany Schnetzler (Illinois)

2nd Year Leaders of the Emergent Educators Advisory Council reflect on two years collaborating with their rural peers.

Emergent Educators Advisory Council 2nd Year Reflections: Betty Jones (Kentucky)

2nd Year Leaders of the Emergent Educators Advisory Council reflect on two years collaborating with their rural peers.
Rural Teacher Corps member assisting a student with a project.

Preparing Teachers for Rural Wyoming: Voices from the Field

In this blog, hear from 3 WY Rural Teacher Corps (RTC) members who completed their student teaching in the fall of 2025 and graduated in December 2025 about their experiences in the Corps and with rural teaching.

Emergent Educators’ Advisory Council Alumni:

2020-2022

Adreanna Flint - Cuba, NY

Courtney Gillen - Monmouth, IL

Celeste Haverkamp - Ignacio, CO

Brittany Richardson - Livingston, AL

Joseff Smith - Western, NY

2020-2023

Shawntasia Butler - Morehead, KY

Emma Rage - Kensel, ND

2022-2023

Nick Foertsch - Milnor, ND

2022-2024

McKenzie Campbell - Abingdon, IL

Sidney Freeman - Livingston, AL

Maximillion Frommelt - Dodgeville, WI

Osbaldo Gonzalez - Nyssa, OR

Megan Hawkins - Shoals, IN

Bridget Larsen - West Plains, MO

Abigail Parker - Coloma, WI

Theressa Smith - Casper, WY

2024-2025

Alyssa Howe - Leopold, IN

Clara Hellums-Jackson - Dumas, AR

Tracy Stewart - Fort Mohave, AZ

Mayci Armstrong - St. George, KS

2024-2026

Betty Jones - Stanton, KY

Bethany Schnetzler - Monmouth, IL

2025-2026

Molly Brasher - Foley, AL

Nicole McCain - Waynesville, MO

BJ Cross - Cascade, MT

Marquita Holmes - Forrest City, AR

Abbie Johnson - Carthage, IL

Kelly Pemrick - Estes Park, CO

Killian Sump - Camp Cherman, OR

Kaylee Whitaker - Letcher, KY