Story By Mary Bailey

For the first time in the school’s history the Northeast AL Regional Future Teachers of Alabama Conference was held at the Marshall County Technical School.

The Future Teachers of Alabama (FTA) organization is made up of middle and high school students who are interested in exploring education after high school. 

Their mission is to promote an interest in teaching with middle and high school students and to provide students with experiences to help them determine if teaching is a viable career choice. 

Schools who attended at the MTS were Arab, Albertville, Boaz and Marshall County Schools.

This year’s FTA theme: “Ignite the Fire, Teach Boldly!”

The day was broken down into two different parts and multiple sessions.

After breakfast in the auditorium Session 1 was “AI in the Classroom” by Pam Ancelet, Session 2 “Tiered Instruction” by Emily Waldrop and Session 3 “What Not to Wear” by Betty Dudley.

Competitions were held after lunch and students competed in Interactive Bulletin Boards, Children’s Literature and Ethical Dilemma Events.

Sarah Bissonnette of Asbury High School and Alissa Bincence of Douglas High School were paired up for the competition.

Both students are excited to become teachers and make a difference after they graduate.

“I want to teach sixth grade math,” Bincence said. “When I was younger, probably seven- or eight-year-old I would teach my little brother, who is now 15. He was out of school for a little bit and taught him when he was out. Ever since then, I wanted to be a teacher. My aunt is also a teacher. I feel like I get along with math and can teach it better.”

I want to teach towards the younger kids, maybe sixth or seventh grade,” added Bissonnette. “I got to baby sit my cousin when she was super little, and it made me feel like I could work with younger kids. She is so funny and so smart, and I thought if I could teach her without really knowing how to teach if I become a teacher and learn how to teach the proper way how many kids could I help.”

Their bulletin board, based around math, had colorful velcro fish that could be taken off to do addition, subtraction or multiplication facts. 

Kathy Emily, student at the Albertville Innovation Academy was proud to show off her board featuring American Sign Language.

“What guided me towards this was I was working at a daycare and the little babies would come up to me and do sign language and I was really impressed,” she said. “So, I thought it was really important that at that young age kids should know the basic sign language and communicate.”

Kathy, who has been a member of FTA for four years, plans to become a traveling nurse after graduation.

Carleigh Brogdon and Zaylee Lambert both of Douglas High School are also ready to become teachers.

Lambert wants to become a teacher because there had been so many teachers that had made a difference in her life.

“They have made a difference by the way they treat me and how they listen to me and not just brush it off. I mean, if you can do that for someone else why would you not want to.”

Brogdon wants to teach kindergarten.

“I grew up loving kids and my sister used to watch kids a lot. Whenever she got tired, or she just couldn’t handle it she would ask me to watch them so she could take a break and then I would carry on the responsibilities. It just made me realize that I would love to work with children. I just want to help them grow and learn and figure out life.”

Melissa Gilbert, who directs the Teachers Academy for Marshall County, says today’s event prepares these students for college and eventually the classroom.

“What do Future Teachers look like?  Today, more than 100 young, aspiring educators met at the Marshall Technical School. It was Marshall County’s first-ever Northeast Region Future Teachers competition.  Students from Boaz, Albertville, Arab, and several Marshall County High Schools participated in the event,” Gilbert said. “They learned about professional and ethical standards. Some of the sessions challenged the students to participate in an ethical dilemma competition.”

Winners of the competition will be announced in the following weeks.  

The Marshall County Technical Schools wants to thank Cadence Bank and Liberty Bank for sponsoring the conference and also Suzanne Clemons (FTA), Mrs. Miller (Albertville) and Mrs. Gentry (Boaz) for the amazing collaboration that made this event such a success and Suzanne Clemons (FTA) for her support.

Thank you also to our speakers, judges, and college representatives.