The University of Northern Colorado’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences is celebrating 10 years of preparing and inspiring the next generation of educators at its  2025 Future Teacher Conference (FTC) on Friday, Feb. 7.  

“I can’t believe it’s been 10 years,” said Suzette Youngs, Ph.D., Literacy Education professor and conference co-founder. “From the beginning, our motto has been to start small and do it well. Our inaugural conference welcomed 40 participants, and it has significantly expanded year after year. This event has become a truly transformative experience for aspiring teachers."

This year, more than 500 high school and community college students will participate in the free, day-long conference. But for the first time, the university will welcome international participants. Two high school students and their principal will attend from Belize.

Chris Kyser, Ed.D., associate professor in UNC’s School of Teacher Education, is co-founder of the conference. She met the Belize students on an annual trip to the country, as a board member of the Belize Education Project. The non-profit organization helps improve literacy and education in the country’s Cayo District.  

“It’s really exciting,” Kyser said. “The idea is that the international students can learn about our classrooms, meet some of our future teachers and connect in their shared passion for education. At the same time, it’s a chance for everyone involved to get inspired and excited about teaching, no matter where they are.”

The Future Teacher Conference through the years:

Spurred by the desire and pressing need to address Colorado's growing teacher shortage, the FTC provides students interested in becoming teachers with information, mentoring and networking opportunities. The shortage is far from being a local issue. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization released a global report on teachersthat reveals an urgent need for 44 million primary and secondary teachers worldwide by 2030. This includes a demand for seven out of 10 teachers at the secondary level and a need to replace over half of the existing teachers leaving the profession. 

Fourteen-year-old Jayden Canto from Cayo, Belize, wants to fill the teacher gaps and believes the Future Teacher Conference will be the first step toward that reality.  

“At the Future Teachers Conference, I hope to learn practical methods for making teaching engaging and accessible for high school students,” Canto said.  

“I want to gain insights into effective teaching strategies, especially those that help students connect with the material and understand its real-life applications. This will be my first opportunity to learn from experienced educators, experts in the field and meet other aspiring teachers, which I believe will be valuable for my future career and will help mold my desire to teach even further.” 

The Belize Education Project, founded by Assistant Professor Jean Kirshner, Ph.D., is  funding Canto, her classmate and their principal to travel to Greeley for the conference. 

Fourth graders from Altitude Elementary in Aurora, Colorado, will also attend the Future Teacher Conference. They are the youngest to participate in the educational activities.  

Hoping to inspire the now expanded list of students, alumna and Colorado 2024 Teacher of the Year, Jessica May, ‘96, will be the keynote speaker to kick off the conference. Future teachers will then participate in a series of workshops and seminars that dive into many popular, emerging topics in education, including: 

• Early childhood education
• Elementary and secondary education
• Teaching theater
• Culturally and linguistically diverse education
• Future Latine teachers
• Special education
• Rural education

To increase accessibility to a college education, for the second year, three lucky students who enroll full-time in an undergraduate teacher licensure program for fall 2025 will receive a $1,000 scholarship just by attending the conference and entering a drawing. 

“I’ve gained so much from the education community, and this is an opportunity to give back while helping those passionate about pursuing a career in teaching.” Kyser said. 

Youngs and Kyser believe the conference is proof of the need to empower and invest in the teaching workforce after witnessing significant growth and expanded opportunities for Future Teacher Conference participants over the past 10 years. This is especially true for a university that has trained thousands of graduates who have gone on to have successful careers in education. They look forward to hosting the conference for the next 10 years and beyond. 

“It’s been a joy to engage with future teachers,” Youngs said. “It's incredible to consider how many students this conference has impacted and inspired across the years."