Kansas high school students will get to experience what it takes to be a teacher at the Kansas Future Teacher Academy in Emporia June 10-14. The academy will consist of 35 students and will be held on the Emporia State University campus.
“The goal of the academy is to expose high school students in Kansas to the rewards of the teaching profession,” said Dr. Roger Caswell, director of the ESU academy. “Due to demand of KFTA alumni, we’ve added a second track to the week so students who have attended the academy before can get a deeper understanding of being a professional in education.”
Students are accepted into the academy based upon their academic standing, involvement in school and community activities and interest in exploring a career in teaching.
“They stay in Emporia State’s residence halls, eat on campus, explore Emporia, all with the main goal of exploring what it means to prepare for a career in education,” Caswell said.
Participants will be involved in numerous activities during the week, including those centered on opportunities in education, problem-solving and leadership skills, personal goal setting and technology in education. They will tour the National Teachers Hall of Fame, the National Memorial to Fallen Educators, the one-room schoolhouse on campus and have sessions with: 2018 Kansas Master Teacher Abby Cornelius from USD 229 Blue Valley; Aron Dody, a KFTA alumnus and superintendent of USD 251 North Lyon County; speakers from the Brown v Board Historical site, the Kansas State Department of Education, USD 501, as well as Emporia State faculty.
This is the 29th year for the Kansas Future Teacher Academy. Approximately 1500 Kansas high school students have attended the academy since it began in 1989. Information about the academy is available at www.emporia.edu/teach/kfta/.
For more information about the academy, contact Caswell at 620-341-5372. The KFTA is coordinated by the Jones Institute for Educational Excellence at ESU.
2018 Kansas Future Teacher Academy Participants - High School – Student Name(s):
- Arkansas City High School – Kelsie Burr
- Campus High School (Haysville) – Elizabeth Baalmann, Alyssa Burns
- Central Heights High School – Nikita d’Augereau, Sophie Morris
- Chanute High School – Darbee Chard, Emma Munoz
- Chapman High School – Lauren Moon, Grace Mosher
- Eureka Junior-Senior High School – *Keeley Coon, *Paige Samuels
- Frederic Remington High School – Alejandra Botello
- Goddard High School – Sierra Coldwater
- Hiawatha High School – *Isabella Eppens
- Highland Park High School (Topeka) – Jeshua Mills
- Holton High School – Danni Klahr
- Hutchinson High School – *Hailey Kisner
- Lawrence Free State High School – *Caitlin McAndrew-Beckman, Ella Keathley
- Mill Valley High School (Shawnee) – Jessica Coleman
- Northern Heights High School (Allen) – *Kylee Sull
- Northwest High School (Wichita) – Mackenzie Wigington
- Olathe South High School – Tatum Murray, Hailey Pittman
- Pleasant Ridge High School (Easton) – *Lane Butterfield
- Remington High School – Staisha Ownbey, *Valerie Reimer
- Salina Central High School – Hannah Queen
- Scott Community High School (Scott City) – Morgan Irwin
- Seaman High School (Topeka) – Alexa Crai, Jade Thayer
- Shawnee Mission Northwest High School – Grace Cheesman
- St. Teresa’s Academy (Kansas City, Missouri) – Margaret Hart
- Trinity Academy (Wichita) – Rebecca Newport
- Valley Falls High School – Braylan Heineken
*Students are returning to KFTA and will experience the additional track