Clovis education program focuses on high school students hoping for teaching career

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two-hundred high school students from five different districts came to Clovis with one similar interest - they want to be teachers.

A field trip to Clovis Community College put on by the organization Educators Rising is supporting students on the preparation path at a younger age - hoping to prevent another teacher shortage crisis for the future

"High school students have told us they really want to learn about future careers to have the opportunity to meet people doing those jobs," said Greg Nicholson, Director of Advancement.

The peers soaked up knowledge from a panel of professors and teachers, followed by small group sessions on the subject of their choice.

"I really wanted students to see you don't have to be great in the content, you have to be passionate about the students and passionate about the learning," said Callie Laflam, Fresno Unified teacher.

The Fresno faculty hopes to trigger interest and teach the striving school teachers as much as they can before they graduate to the next chapter of their life- college.

"It's a big relief, I'm not going in unsure and I have, for the most part, a general idea of what I'm getting into," said Zarina Ruiz, student.

The students touting the college on Friday could be the next generation of education.

"We have several students who were in classes like this, or clubs like this, who've gone on to get their teaching credential and are now teaching in the high schools where they went to school," said Nicholson.