Five Lowell High School students traveled to Washington DC (June 28-July 1) to compete against their peers from around the country at the Educators Rising National Conference accompanied by two LHS teachers, Glen Gallagher and Kendra Bauer.

Educators Rising is an organization aimed at “cultivating a new generation of highly skilled educators, guiding young people on a path from high school through college and into their teaching careers, by working with aspiring educators who reflect the demographics of their communities and who are passionate about serving those communities through public education.”

The group spent four days in the nation’s capitol learning about opportunities in education, touring the various monuments and museums, and sharing their hard work in selected categories.

Sebastian Rivera (class of 2024) and Sarah Htwe (‘24) submitted a video as part of the Inside Our Schools competition. In the video they gave a virtual tour of Lowell High School, including the numerous opportunities available to students such as the early college program and extracurricular activities.

Meyfang Taing (‘25) and Vitoria Moura Dupim (‘25) presented an Interactive Bulletin Board on the Water Cycle to be used in a middle school classroom and earned a third place ribbon. The girls hope to donate this project to a middle school classroom in the district.

Most notably, Jisella Sanquiche (‘24) placed first in the nation in Public Speaking, giving a five minute speech on the importance of public education in front of a panel of judges.

“Today, I will share my story; my name is Jisella Sanquiche. I am 17 years old, and I have attended public school for 12 years of my life. For people like me, first-generation students who were born into poverty and generational trauma, public education provided me a chance to transcend my socioeconomic status, make my family proud, and validate the sacrifices they made.” she explained. “Next year, at Boston University on a full-ride, I will be the first in my family to attend college. This wouldn’t have been possible without public education.” With both charisma and composure, she went on to explain the need for students like herself to share their stories of success to help combat the negative publicity that seems to get bigger headlines and stigmatize the public school system in our country. “When we talk about the good that happens in our classrooms every day—the character development, the immense empathy students garner, the correction of our history, and the principals that Horace Mann envisioned—we instill pride and inspiration in our students.”

After her name was announced in front of the more than 3,000 students in attendance, Jisella – never lacking confidence – jumped from her seat and smiled the entire way to the stage. “It felt like a great end to my high school career. It feels great going off to college knowing that I really am a great public speaker. I really am that girl.” Jisella also wanted to thank her mom for all her love and support, “I missed her birthday to be here. Winning made it at least feel worth it”.