Potomac Shores Middle School hosts Educators Rising® Conference for the second year

In early March, Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) hosted the 2025 Educators Rising® Virginia Student Leadership Conference at Potomac Shores Middle School for the second consecutive year. This conference brought together passionate students from across the Commonwealth to learn, network, and demonstrate their skills and knowledge in the field of education. A total of 216 students from across the state attended the conference, including 88 students from PWCS. These students are also involved in the PWCS Growing Our Own Teachers program and represent Brentsville District, C.D. Hylton, Forest Park, Gar-Field, and Osbourn Park High Schools.

Congratulations to the following PWCS student winners. First-and-second-place winners are eligible to represent PWCS and Virginia at the Educators Rising® National Competition in Orlando, Florida in late June. 

First place:

  • Mishall Ahmed, Osbourn Park High School  
  • Kennice Anoff, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Lyla Barninger, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Madison Brown, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Isabella Carneiro, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Jayelle Carter, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Gabrielle Davis, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Deniol Garcia, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Diana Henriquez Bautista, Gar-Field High School 
  • Nichole Pellicier, Osbourn Park High School  
  • Melissa Pineiro, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Aliyah Pitt, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Katie Toth, Brentsville District High School 

Second place:

  • Natalya Barnwell, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Autumn Brown, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Kaydence Costello, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Asia Lilly, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Lizbeth Mendoza, Brentsville District High School 
  • Sophia Mueller, Forest Park High School 
  • Dominic Romero, Forest Park High School  
  • Jocelyn Santos-Urena, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Beulah Sarsah, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Paola Soto, Osbourn Park High School  
  • Emerson Zepeda Sorto, C.D. Hylton High School

Third place:

  • Muhammad Abbas, Osbourn Park High School  
  • Daisey Alvarez, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Danna Amador, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Giselle Ascencio, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Jocelyn Burgos, Gar-Field High School 
  • Isabela Flores, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Larkyn Grand, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Bethlehem Hailedingil, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Heidi Moreno Herrera, Gar-Field High School 
  • Akouele (Stella) Kouevi, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Kiyah Luker, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Ezekhiel Miller, C.D. Hylton High School 
  • Adrian Pineda, Osbourn Park High School 
  • Stacy Reyes, Gar-Field High School 
  • Laareb Shaikh, C.D. Hylton High School 

Educators Rising® is a national career and technical student organization available for middle school, high school, and college students to join through clubs at their school. It offers students professional learning opportunities, annual conferences, and access to a state-of-the-art social networking website. Educators Rising clubs are active in most PWCS high schools for students in grades 9-12 and the program continues to grow each year.

The PWCS Growing Our Own Teachers program supports and mentors high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in education. Among its advantages is the facilitation of the Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow (VTfT) courses available to 11th and 12th grade students. VTfT is monitored through the Virginia Department of Education. Students explore the teaching profession and experience the classroom as they become acquainted with teachers and teaching on a personal and professional level, including a brief internship in a classroom setting.