Students honored as Outstanding Future Educators

Five University of Southern Indiana students preparing for careers as teachers have been named Indiana Outstanding Future Educators by the Indiana Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (IACTE).

The following students will be recognized at an awards banquet and luncheon in Carmel on April 11:

Krista Barton of Fort Branch is an elementary education major with a minor in language arts. She is student teaching in fifth grade at Fort Branch Community School this semester. She is a graduate of Harrison High School in Evansville.

Samantha Tuley of Boonville is majoring in early childhood education and minoring in special education. She is student teaching in first grade at Chandler Elementary School. She is a graduate of Boonville High School.

Travis LaMar of Evansville has been student teaching this semester at Castle High School in Newburgh. A physical education major, he is a graduate of Harrison High School.

Jessica Eckert of Jasper is majoring in English and minoring in psychology and secondary education. She is student teaching at Jasper High School and is a graduate of Northeast Dubois High School.

Kristine Farmer of Newburgh is student teaching this semester at Reitz High School in Evansville. She is majoring in special education and minoring in Spanish. She is a graduate of Castle High School.

All five students will complete their undergraduate studies in May. They were chosen for the Outstanding Future Educator Award based on recommendations made by faculty in the USI Department of Teacher Education and University student teaching supervisors.

The students will be accompanied at the awards ceremony by Joyce Rietman, director of Advanced Clinical Experience and Co-Teaching at USI.

IACTE is a professional organization of colleges and universities with undergraduate and/or graduate programs to prepare professional educators. It is an affiliate of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).