Hundreds of high school students from across Wisconsin will gather at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to explore teaching careers and connect with peers at the 2026 Educators Rising State Conference and Competitions.
Hosted by the School of Education and the Harju Center for Opportunities in Education at UW-Stevens Point, the conference will take place on Friday, March 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Themed “Grow, Teach, Lead into Greatness,” the event, intended for students in grades 9-12, will include speakers and optional competitive events where students can showcase their developing career-related skills. Students will also participate in breakout sessions facilitated by distinguished educators, with 16 colleges and professional organizations taking part in a recruitment fair.
Ana Celia Báez, the 2025 Wisconsin State Teacher of the Year and Wisconsin School Counselor of the Year, will serve as keynote speaker. Báez, a recipient of the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) Excellence in Education Award, has been a bilingual school counselor at South Division High School in Milwaukee for 11 years. She is a proud member of WEAC and the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association. Báez earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Madison and has dedicated her career to advocating for equitable education and ensuring students feel seen and valued. Her keynote will focus on the power of educators to transform lives and communities.
WEAC and the WEA Academy are the primary state sponsors of Educators Rising-Wisconsin, which is cultivating a new generation of highly skilled educators by guiding young people on a path from high school through college and into their teaching careers. By working with high school students who reflect the demographics of their communities and who are passionate about serving those communities through public education, Educators Rising is changing the face of teaching.
“The future of public schools requires the next generation of teachers to come to the job prepared and with purpose,” said Peggy Wirtz-Olsen, teacher and president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC). “Through Educators Rising, we are investing in education professionals who will shape Wisconsin’s classrooms, communities and our shared future. Our Educators Rising participants represent the hope and heart of public education. They are doing their part so every child, without exception, has committed and qualified teachers.”
“The Educators Rising conference is a powerful example of what is possible when schools, higher education and communities across Wisconsin work together,” said Katie Anderson-Pence, head of the School of Education at UW-Stevens Point. “Through these partnerships, students begin developing as reflective practitioners while strengthening the teacher pipeline and building meaningful connections to the profession and to one another. We are thrilled to host this conference at UWSP.”
WEAC is Wisconsin’s largest organization of teachers and education support professionals, united to improve public education and the lives of our students.
Since 1894, the School of Education has been the hub of teacher preparation programs at UW-Stevens Point. It prepares future teachers majoring in early childhood education, elementary education, physical education or special education. The School of Education also supports students seeking certification in K-12 and secondary education.
UW-Stevens Point’s Harju Center for Opportunities in Education focuses on addressing educational inequities in Wisconsin by supporting access to high quality teacher education preparation for elementary and middle level educators with an emphasis on rural settings.