(from left) Britain Ingram, Jennifer Reese, and Stephanie Bone

(from left) Jennifer Reese, Lisa Andrews, and Erica Fitzgerald

by Britain Ingram

Six UK College of Education students attended the National Alliance of Black School Educators’ (NABSE) 34th Annual Conference. I am proud to say that I was one of the attendees. The conference was held from November 7th – 12th in Orlando, Florida, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. The Office of the Dean in the College of Education financed the trip. The purpose of the trip was to allow pre-service teachers the opportunity to experience something new, gain knowledge, and network with diverse students, educators, and administrators in the profession. As a group, we attended and participated in workshops dealing with school reform and student success, classroom instruction, classroom management, school partnerships, parent involvement and empowerment, administration and supervision, and quality charter schools. The College of Education students who attended the conference left with feelings of inspiration, motivation, and determination to become the best teachers and role models for their students. National and state statistics have shown a lack of African-American representation in education. This trip, however, has allowed students like me to see the strides that African-Americans are making at becoming more recognized and established as effective educators and leaders. Several of the students, including me, were so influenced by the NABSE Conference that we are now thinking about pursuing graduate degrees in teaching and eventually obtaining doctoral degrees. Representing the students who attended the conference, I want to thank Dean Cibulka, Dr. Boulay, and Mrs. Callaway for making this wonderful voyage possible.

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