Celebrating the Young Educators’ Advisory Council

The 2020-21 school year didn’t come without challenges, but with the future looking brighter on the pandemic’s horizon, we hope this summer can be a time of rest and relaxation for rural teachers. Almost exactly a year ago, the Rural Schools Collaborative initiated our Young Educators’ Advisory Council. We put out an announcement “seeking the energy, enthusiasm, and dreams of first- and second-year rural teachers,” and what we received was an incredible cohort of early career teachers who have come together during a challenging time to actualize support strategies for first- and second- year rural teachers across the country.

The Council consists of 10 first- and second-year rural teachers who serve the Rural Schools Collaborative as advisors to strengthen our mission in the recruitment, preparation, and retention of rural teachers. After a very triumphant first year of working with this cohort, let’s hear their perspectives on the power of being a rural teacher.

You can meet the Young Educators’ Advisory Council here, and stay up to date on their perspectives by following us on social media: TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

The effort to specifically amplify the voices of early career rural teachers was born of the I Am A Rural Teacher Campaign, an advocacy program promoted in collaboration with the National Rural Education Association. The I Am A Rural Teacher Campaign launched with support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We hope you will stay tuned to learn more about the wonderful opportunities that will be coming as a result of the Young Educators’ Advisory Council’s first successful year.