Our Stories
The I Am a Rural Teacher campaign is committed to sharing voices and perspectives of rural teachers throughout the country. Elevating teacher advocacy is a primary objective of this national initiative, and the Rural Schools Collaborative will be working with the National Rural Education Association to share rural teachers' viewpoints with policymakers at the regional, state, and national levels.
Thank you to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting this effort.

Vinnie Rivera - McLeansboro, IL
August 31, 2022
Relationships are this band instructor’s leitmotif
Teacher Profile

Jennifer Shealy - Greenville, AL
August 26, 2022
Teaching re-introduces an educator to her rural community
Teacher Profile

Lola Rubio Alberca - Spain
August 11, 2022
Discussion with a graduate from rural-focused teaching program in Spain
Teacher Profile, Podcast

Stacey Moser - Fields, OR
August 3, 2022
Teaching is the New Frontier for this Second-Career Educator
Teacher Profile

Robbin Perkins Askew - Atqasuk, AK
July 12, 2022
Longtime teacher finds renewed purpose in rural Alaska
Teacher Profile

Kinley Zam - Punakha District, Bhutan
June 24, 2022
Place-based education partnership fosters deeper learning in Bhutan
Teacher Profile, Rural Educators Across Borders

Barb McArthy and Suzy Tomm - Carmi, IL
June 16, 2022
Teaching team shares a rural perspective on special education
Teacher Profile, Podcast

Susan Spiers - Picayune, MS
June 2, 2022
Veteran teacher forges bonds with students and community
Teacher Profile

Joe Hennessey - Dover-Foxcroft, ME
May 24, 2022
Joe Hennessey’s work in Piscataquis County, Maine reveals the irreplaceable role of a passionate and visionary teacher-leader

Building a Climate-aware Future: Rural Educators Across Borders Convenes to Discuss Sustainability in Rural Schools
May 23, 2022
In our second Rural Educators Across Borders event, we focused on Sustainability in Rural Schools, exploring the local-to-global impacts of and responses to climate change in rural areas
Rural Educators Across Borders

Jamie Fehring - Bedford, Iowa
May 17, 2022
Beginning her career as a scientist, Jamie transitioned into teaching as a second career; and she's deeply committed to fostering student inquiry and inclusivity in the classroom.
Teacher Profile

Jamesha Keithley - Leland, MS
May 6, 2022
Helping students take command of their future