Local Students Learn Leadership Skills at Aurora University Conference

AURORA, Ill, September 11, 2007—Area residents were among 13 local high school and college students who attended Aurora University's seventh annual summer Future Educators Association (FEA) conference at George Williams College of Aurora University in Williams Bay, Wis., Aug. 4-8.

Sponsored by AU's College of Education, the conference was designed to teach students classroom-management skills, what it is like to be a teacher, and how to effectively lead FEA chapters at their home schools.

Events included discussions on multiple intelligences, "The First Days of School," a book by education expert Harry Wong, recruiting new FEA members, parental involvement, teaching elementary and middle school students, and building literacy.

Other sessions focused on mixers, team building activities, and evening programs on teaching as a profession.

Honored by their peers were Desirae Rathbun, Oswego High School, Miss Congeniality; Kevin Freeman, Aurora University, Mr. Congeniality; Kelsey Borg, Kaneland High School, Most Positive Attitude; and Caitlin Curry, West Aurora High School, Most Involved Participant.

High school students who attended were: Jorge Nino, East Aurora High: Kelsey Borg, Kaneland; Desirae Rathbun, Oswego; Kelly Lullo, St. Charles North; and Caitlin Curry, Ula Eidietyte, Lora Forester, Alex Sherman, West Aurora.

AU education majors who attended were Kendall Bergen, Palatine; Jorge Cabadas, Aurora; Kevin Freeman, Kate Poole, Montgomery; and Nicole Wootton, Hanover Park AU students who served as group leaders and conference staff were education majors Brandi Pfeifer, St. Charles, Whitney Johnson, Sycamore. Nicole Ogelvie of Batavia, a 2006 alum and middle school math teacher at Stratford Middle School in Bloomingdale.

Instructors from AU's College of Education were Deborah Brotcke, professor of education; and Pam Ferdinand and Judy Maxwell, conference co-directors and FEA coordinators.

Since 1998, AU's College of Education has helped found and maintain FEA chapters serving about 300 students at 15 area high schools. They are Batavia, East Aurora, Geneva, Hinckley-Big Rock, Kaneland, Neuqua Valley, Oswego, Oswego-East, Plano, St. Charles-East, St. Charles-North, Sandwich, Waubonsie Valley, West Aurora, and Yorkville.

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