In the halls of Dallastown, a mix of students and educators walk side by side some students already imagining themselves stepping into those educators’ roles one day.
For many, that dream begins inside the classroom with encouragement from teachers who believe in them.
At Dallastown, students have the opportunity to explore a career in education through the Educators Rising program, advised by Ms. Kristin Gaynor, Ms. Heather Lehr, and Ms. Michelle Godfrey.
“Educators Rising has made me more confident in my career choice I’ve known I wanted to go into since I was young. It gave me the opportunities to explore other careers in the education system and truly find what I wanted to do and learn in college,” senior Eliana Waechter said.
During the 2025–2026 school year, the club currently has 15 active members.
“Give it a try! Education is a rewarding career to explore, and there are many opportunities,” Gaynor said.
The idea for bringing Educators Rising to Dallastown began when Gaynor and Lehr attended a conference and learned more about the organization and its mission.
After seeing the program’s value and how it encourages students to consider careers in education, they knew it was something they wanted to introduce and grow within the district.
One of the biggest challenges future educators face, according to Gaynor, is learning how to manage time effectively.
“Teaching requires you to do lots of things all at the same time, and you have to use your time wisely to avoid things piling up,” Gaynor said.
Godfrey and Lehr emphasize patience as another essential skill needed for success in education.
This year, three sections of the Educators Rising 1 elective were run, with approximately 60 students enrolled.
The course gives students early exposure to the education field by allowing them to learn directly from current educators and hear about real classroom experiences across different subjects, students, and teaching styles.
Even if students only decide to join the club and not take the class, the club offers early practice, such as hearing about different classroom experiences with different people, subjects, and students.
“I’ve met so many new people I connected with and got so much knowledge of the education system that I’m going into college with the understanding of what I will do in my career,” Waechter said.
The club typically meets during Wildcat time and is led by four officers. Akira Sorrell serves as president, with Lauren Chilcoat, Eliana Waechter, and Cody Prelich holding officer positions.
They meet once or twice a month, but all opportunities and updates are shared through the club’s Google Classroom to keep members informed about different activities throughout the year.
“One of my favorite memories was going to Penn State University every year for the Educators Rising state conference. It gave us an opportunity to meet other future educators our age in our state and to meet the teachers of the year and other educators. It helped our club come together and have fun while still attending breakout sessions and getting free stuff! I always look forward to going with the club and our advisors and it will definitely be something I miss as I go to college next year,” Waechter said.
The advisors were inspired after attending a Pennsylvania State Educators Conference, where they heard a presentation by Christopher Clayton, who runs Educators Rising statewide.
Who spoke about the ongoing teacher shortage and how the program was designed to excite and encourage high school students to pursue careers in education.
That message reinforced the advisors’ decision to expand the program at Dallastown.
Next year, students will have even more opportunities, with the new one-trimester elective, Educators Rising II, which will be available for students in grades 10 through 12.
“If you have ever considered becoming a teacher, even a little bit, join the club! It gets you connected with amazing people and opportunities, which will show you just how great the field is,” Chilcoat said.
