High school students learn about teaching careers at GU summit

Published: November 01, 2024

Author: Dave Bell

As the faculty and staff of the Greenville University School of Education planned the school’s inaugural Future Teacher Summit, they were hoping to attract 20 prospective teachers.

But as the event neared, the numbers continued to rise. And rise some more. On the day of the summit, more than 110 high school juniors and seniors from 11 area high schools arrived on the GU campus.

“That kind of response excites me because the pipeline for future teachers has a shortage right now,” said Heather Gilmore, GU Assistant Professor of Elementary Education (pictured above). “It was a bit overwhelming logistically, but I think we were able to share our excitement about the field of education.”

Promotional materials produced prior to the event by the GU School of Education invited high school students to participate in the summit to discover if teaching is a good fit for them. “Who you are as a person shapes who you will be as a teacher. Our summit will include discussions and activities to help you reflect on how your own experiences draw you to the classroom and shape your professional identity.”

During the half-day event, the students interacted with several education professors, observed a panel discussion about the rewards of teaching, heard from Victoria Clark, vice president of enrollment management (pictured above), about available scholarships and how to apply to GU. They were given campus tours by members of the GU admissions team and treated to lunch in the Dining Commons.

The keynote speaker for the event was Kelly Rinella (pictured above), a third-grade teacher at Greenville Elementary School who shared how her life was transformed by a teacher who took a special interest in her.

“I was 4 years old before it was determined that I was profoundly deaf,” Rinella told the prospective teachers. “I was struggling, but my parents and teachers didn’t know why.

“Lots of people helped me cope with that disability, but there was one teacher who took a special interest in me. She pushed me relentlessly, and that did so much for me. Because of that teacher, I decided to go into education myself. And now I get to make a difference in the lives of my students by helping them overcome the barriers and challenges they face.”

Rinella went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy from SIU Carbondale, a master’s degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from Greenville University, and recently received a doctorate in Education from Liberty University.

Angela Reeter, representing the regional office of education in Vandalia, talked about career path options available, depending on the type of teaching the students wanted to pursue. She also echoed Rinella’s sentiments about the influence teachers can have on their students.

“No one can impact lives like a teacher with a heart for kids,” Reeter said. “Words of encouragement are so important. Teaching isn’t always easy, but your influence is more than you can imagine. Sometimes, you’re literally the lifeline for these students when they’re going through tough things in their lives.”

Participating in the panel discussion about education as a career were GU alums Paris Grimmett, an eighth-grade history teacher in St. Louis; Alyssa Chavez-Clendenen, a middle school special education teacher in Riverton, Illinois; and Kerri Buscher, a special education teacher in Vandalia, Illinois. Current GU education majors Ben Hornaday and Levi Eads also were part of the panel. The panelists spoke about the importance of connecting with students and remembering their motivations for teaching.

Summit participants received a Greenville University T-shirt and a $500 GU Visit Grant, which can be used to cover expenses should they decide to attend the University.