Aspiring educators gather for Florida Future Educators of America Conference at PBSC

Ashley Inoa Grullon always knew she wanted to be a teacher.

“I was the kid who would play teacher with the stuffed animals, give them homework and yell at them when they wouldn’t pay attention,” Grullon said.

Grullon, a third-grade dual language teacher at Hagen Road Elementary School and 2024 Palm Beach County Beginning Teacher of the Year, was the keynote speaker at the Florida Future Educators of America Conference.

“Teaching comes from the heart,” she said. “When your students feel seen by you, their lives will change with yours.”

The FFEA conference was held Nov. 15 at PBSC’s Lake Worth Campus and was sponsored by the School District of Palm Beach County, PBSC and the Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler Equity Institute.

The conference brought in over 120 FFEA high school students from the school district and was a kickoff to the Fast Track: Teach in Palm Beach initiative between the School District of Palm Beach County, PBSC and Florida Atlantic University. The program is a dual enrollment initiative focused on developing the next generation of educators.

During the conference, students showcased their FFEA chapter displays, participated in teaching competitions and attended breakout sessions covering topics such as dual enrollment, scholarships for education majors, and resources on becoming successful teachers and leaders.

PBSC Associate Dean Susy Martinez-White hopes the conference inspired high school students to see new possibilities and reminded them of the value of connecting and growing together as future teachers.

“All our efforts in putting together this event were to capture the spark these students have shown in their desire to become teachers and help to grow our own future educators in Palm Beach County,” Martinez-White said.

To view more photos of the conference, click here.