National Award Winners...
Meet Our
In June 2026, Educators Rising Maryland traveled to Portland, Oregon for the 2025 Educators
Rising National Conference, taking the state's largest delegation ever with 40 students,
including five Maryland State Officers, and nine Teacher Leaders. Students participated in
national competitions, leadership development sessions, networking opportunities, and
celebrations with future educators from across the country.
Maryland students delivered an outstanding performance on the national stage, with eight
students earning Top 10 national finishes. Leading the way was Mia Rickman of James Hubert
Blake High School, who earned 2nd Place in the Nation in Lesson Planning & Delivery – Arts
(Varsity).
Additional Top 10 national finishers included:
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Tailor D'Adamo, Towson University – 5th Place, Children's Literature (Higher Education)
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Jarlin Franco, Crossland High School – 8th Place, Children's Literature K–3 (Spanish, Junior
Varsity) -
Madison Mayo, Crossland High School – 7th Place, Exploring Support Services Careers
(Junior Varsity) -
Daniela Cortez Campos, James Hubert Blake High School – 4th Place, Lesson Planning &
Delivery – Arts (Junior Varsity) -
Evan Worrall, Towson High School – 8th Place, Lesson Planning & Delivery – Humanities
(Varsity) -
Anthony Delgado Alfaro & Mariela Maldonado Hernández, Crossland High School – 10th
Place, Inside Our Schools Presentation (Spanish, Varsity) -
Beautonamew Martin, James Hubert Blake High School – 10th Place, Educators Rising
Moment (Junior Varsity)
Educators Rising Moment:
Varsity
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Isla Milanoski - Michelle Curry
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Arden Baker - Jill Buccolo
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Riley Jenkins - Jill Buccolo
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Adeline Ottenritter - Jill Buccolo
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Emme Bowling - Shawn Starcher
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Avery Cohen - Jill Buccolo
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Lyla Shatzer - Shawn Starcher.
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Hailey Lawrence - Maria Christina Antonio Smith.
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Kaylee Pruitt - Shawn Starcher
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Juliet Oh - Maria Christina Antonio Smith
State Winners!
And Our
Educators Rising Moment:
JV
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Kasia Shamapande - Chelsea Bedward
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Juliet Saulanga - Carrie Weaver Bridges
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Chayse Smith - Carrie Weaver Bridges
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Lauren Johnson - Carrie Weaver
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Demari Pannell - Carrie Weaver
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Giovanna Bishop - Chelsea Bedward
Educators Rising Moment:
Varsity (Spanish)
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Alis Mazariego - Carrie Weaver
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Cherlin Lucas - Meghan Hill
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Jocelyn Rosas - Maria Christina Antonio Smith
Creative Lecture: Varsity
1st: Tessie Enman- Patterson Mill High School
Lesson Planning and Delivery- Arts: Varsity
1st: Mia Rickman- James Hubert Blake High School
2nd: Rein McKenna- James Hubert Blake High School
Lesson Planning and Delivery- Humanities: Varsity
1st: Evan Worrall- Towson High School
Educators Rising Moment:
JV (Spanish)
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Citaly Garcia Esquival - Carrie Weaver Bridges
Ethical Dilemma: Varsity
1st: Nicholas Dube and Ava Buddenhorn- Fallston High School
2nd: Ema Norris- Harford Technical High School
3rd: Kourtney Speights- Harford Technical High School
4th: Ava Smith- Patapsco High School
Lesson Planning and Delivery- Arts: JV
1st: Daniela Cortez Campos- James Hubert Blake High School
Lesson Planning and Delivery- STEM: JV
1st: Gianna Guarnera- Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts
Teacher Created Materials: Varsity
1st: Isabella Housley- Edgewood High School
2nd: Charlie Justice- La Plata High School
3rd: Helenh Nanduca- Center of Applied Technology North
4th: Mike Jones and Kenny Smith- Center of Applied Technology North
Teacher Created Materials: JV
1st: Baileigh Hartman- Edgewood High School
2nd: Jasmine Faison- Center of Applied Technology North
Children's Literature K-3: Varsity
1st: Carissa Hyun- Atholton High School
2nd: Ellie Miller- Havre De Grace High School
3rd: Cecelia Adams and Kody (Klara) Kwisnek- North Point High School
4th: Lilianna Mocca- James Hubert Blake High School
5th: Elyse Muller- Havre De Grace High School
6th: Sanaa Chege- Seneca Valley High School
7th: Leah Shelton- Crossland High School
8th: Sandra Marie Gonzalez- James Hubert Blake High School
9th: Posy Lynch- James Hubert Blake High School
10th: Jayda Fleming: Crossland High School
Children's Literature K-3: JV
1st: Morgan Deavers- La Plata High School
2nd: Leah Gibson- Crossland High School
3rd: Leslie Jeremy and Taylor Nicholas- Crossland High School
4th: Naomi Jones- Crossland High School
Children's Literature K-3: Varsity (Spanish)
1st: Anthony Delgado Alfaro- Crossland High School
2nd: Mariela Maldonado Hernandez- Crossland High School
Children's Literature K-3: JV (Spanish)
1st: Jarlin Franco- Crossland High School
2nd: Evelyn Maldonado Hernandez- Crossland High School
3rd: Lily Savoy- Crossland High School
Exploring Non-Core Teaching Careers: Varsity
1st: Carolina Webster- Worchester Technical High School
2nd: Gianna Crisostomo- Patterson Mill High School
3rd: Avery Holness- North Point High School (Charles)
4th: Adalynn Davis- Bel Air High School
5th: Sandra Maria Gonzalez- James Hubert Blake High School
6th: Leah Shelton- Crossland High School
Exploring Non-Core Teaching Careers: JV
1st: Savannah Farley- Patterson Mill High School
2nd: Jennah Dawkins- Havre De Grace High School
Exploring Administration Careers: Varsity
1st: Jordan Hawkins- Crossland High School
2nd: RayAnn Brezna- Havre De Grace
Exploring Support Services Careers: Varsity
1st: Jada Stubblefield- Crossland High School
Inside Our Schools: Varsity (English)
1st: Amy Silva and Cherlin Lucas- James Hubert Blake High School
2nd: Desire Blake- Pocomoke High School
3rd: Kayda Mills- Pocomoke High School
Researching Learning Challenges: Varsity
1st: Jordan Hawkins, Jada Stubblefield, and Leah Shelton- Crossland High School
2nd: Amy Silva and Cherlin Lucas- James Hubert Blake High School
Exploring Administration Careers: JV
1st: Sophia Ortiz Hewitt- Crossland High School
Exploring Support Services Careers: JV
1st: Madison Mayo- Crossland High School
Inside Our Schools: Varsity (Spanish)
1st: Anthony Delgado and Mariela Maldonado Hernandez- Crossland High School
Researching Learning Challenges: JV
1st: Amyah Brackney and Julieth Pertica- Hammond High School
2nd: Tsion Getachew, Oluwatunmise Ogunsuyi, and Amani Ottiende- James Hubert Blake Highschool
Interactive Bulletin Boards: Varsity
1st: Gianna Crisostomo- Patterson Mill High School
2nd: Island Milanoski and Zoe Sikora- Patterson Mill High School
3rd TIED: Brynn Raedeke and Makenna Page- Bel Air High School
3rd TIED: Macie Kane and Samantha Davis- Bel Air High School
4th: Ella Cuneo and Jillian Lotocki- Bel Air High School
5th: Jillian Pecor and Brenna Hutchins- Bel Air High School
6th: Ariyanna Gibson- Aberdeen High School
7th: Ruby Reddel- Fallston High School
Interactive Bulletin Boards: JV
1st: Savannah Farley- Patterson Mill High School
