NJEA Preservice represents college students preparing for a career in education. While all NJEA Convention programs are open to every member, several workshops are specifically planned with NJEA Preservice members in mind. In addition, NJEA Preservice staffs a booth in the Atlantic City Convention Center. To learn more about NJEA Preservice, visit njea.org/preservice.
Angelina Maffei, Stockton University, Class of ‘24
Getting to experience the NJEA Convention for the first time was truly a moving and beneficial experience. Working with NJEA Preservice has been an absolute privilege, as I have been able to experience leadership opportunities and work behind the scenes in helping with this year’s convention. As an aspiring educator, the knowledge that I have gained valuable insights from the various professional development workshops. They were incredibly helpful and will continue to aid me in my future career in education.
Alyssa Magliaro, Rowan University, Class of ‘23,
This is my first NJEA Convention, and I am so happy I attended. I experienced new learning resources, techniques, educational technologies and a seemingly infinite amount of educational strategies. Overall, the convention was an amazing experience that allowed me to gain a new perspective as a future educator. As a preservice teacher, having the opportunity to communicate, collaborate and gain knowledge from experienced teachers was inspiring. The NJEA Convention makes me eager to become an educator. I can see how welcoming and encouraging the educational community is, something I dedicate my future to.
Ashley Finocchio, Rowan University, Class of ‘23
This was my first NJEA Convention, and my experience was beyond what I thought it could be. Not only did I get to see new learning resources and techniques, but I also learned about companies that benefit the classroom and my teachings such as BookSmiles and Osmo. It was clear that all vendors at the convention were dedicated educators or dedicated to the future of teaching and learning! I left the convention with many new materials and resources to further my teaching journey and give myself and my future students the educational journey they deserve and will truly enjoy.
Jenna Cooper, Stockton University, Class of ‘23
I had a great time at this year’s NJEA Convention. It was a great opportunity to network and meet current and former educators. My favorite part of the event was the BookSmiles truck. I was able to pick out two books for my future classroom for free.
Matthew Yuro, The College of New Jersey, Class of ‘25
While representing NJEA Preservice as the vice president and Membership and Local Outreach chair, it was great to meet so many aspiring educators at the convention from across the state. My favorite part of the convention was the keynote speakers, especially Nikole Hannah-Jones and David Hogg. It was a great experience to see how powerful our voices can be as future educators.
Kayla Kanarkowski, Rider University, Class of ‘24
Between the great keynote speakers, the professional development workshops, and the networking opportunities, the NJEA Convention never fails to amaze me. Attending a convention lets me feel like I belong in the education community and that teaching is what I am really destined to do. Many of these workshops are geared toward full-time teachers on a variety of topics, but it is also so good for preservice members to attend so we can use the information in our future careers. You can never go wrong with the free resources as well! Whether you are a Preservice member or full-time member, I definitely recommend attending convention.