Area high school students attend MoETS Conference

Nearly 100 ninth through 12th grade students and their school counselors from 13 area school districts attended the Missouri Educators for Tomorrow's Schools (MoETS) Conference on Oct. 20 on the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) campus.

The event was hosted by faculty and staff from MSU-WP and the Missouri State University Outreach office on the MSU-WP campus.

MoETS is an effort to rebuild future teacher organizations at area school districts. Officials and guest presenters from area school districts promote the future of the educational profession through communication and share educational activities and projects that connect higher education and the local community, organizers said.

"The conference allows prospective high school students to come together to gain more information about a career as a future educator in public schools. Our goal is to get prospective students excited about a career in education," said Lindsey Hicks, coordinator of the Career Development Center at MSU-WP.

"Students had the opportunity to choose from three of the six educational workshops based on their personal interests," she added. "All workshops provided students with insight into the distinct roles and career options in the field of education." 

Workshop presenters included:

- National award-winning Project Lead the Way teacher Nathan Fleming from West Plains R-7 Schools

- Culinary Arts teacher Mozella Jett from West Plains R-7

- JAG (Jobs for America's Graduates) Coordinator Brittney Capeder from Willow Springs School District

- IGNITE teacher Crystal Hopper from Willow Springs Schools

- Early Childhood Director/High School Counselor Janet Smoot from Mammoth Spring, Ark., Schools

- Van Buren R-1 middle school teachers Whitney Randolph and Paige Atchison

- Cabool R-IV Title I Reading teacher Jackie Sheppard

- Ava R-1 High School English teachers Zach Hamby and Rachel Hamby 

- Ozark Mountain Technical Center Director Lisa Watson from Mountain Grove School District

Students interested in a teaching career can begin their education degree with the Associate of Arts in Teaching at MSU-WP. Missouri State Outreach offers several undergraduate and graduate degrees in education through the MSU-WP campus. 

For more information about the education degrees and programs offered at MSU-WP, call 417-255-7955 or visit WP.MissouriState.edu.

For more information about the undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered through Missouri State Outreach, call 417-255-7930 or visit Outreach.MissouriState.edu/OffCampus/WestPlains.