By Tressa Presley McLeod, University Communications and Marketing
Applause, cheers, and red carpet moments marked the third annual Educator Signing Day at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus on Monday afternoon, as five graduating students formally committed to teaching in the School District of Manatee County.
Modeled after signing ceremonies for student-athletes, the event celebrated aspiring
teachers as they signed on to lead local classrooms in the 2025–26 school year. Joined
by their families, mentors, and university and district leaders, the future educators
were recognized for choosing a profession with deep impact and purpose.
“You are stepping into a profession that shapes every other profession,” said Dr.
Brett Kemker, interim regional chancellor at USF Sarasota-Manatee. “It is your moment
to raise your hand, sign your name, and say to the world: I choose to teach.”
Graduates will begin their teaching careers across several elementary schools in Manatee County, including Williams Elementary, Jessie P. Miller Elementary, Ballard Elementary, and Bayshore Elementary.
For Lindsey Connolly, who will teach second grade at Williams Elementary, the moment was both professional and personal. “I can’t wait to touch the lives of my students and make an impact on our future,” Connolly said. “I’m following in the footsteps of multiple family members who are teachers.”
Bennett Barnes, who will join the staff at Jessie P. Miller Elementary, said he was
inspired by his mother, a longtime teacher in the district. “She’ll actually be teaching
aftercare at my school,” he said. “It’ll be really cool getting to work with my mom.
It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Educator Signing Day is a reflection of USF’s deep ties to the local school district
and the shared mission to prepare and retain highly skilled teachers in the region.
Through coursework and four levels of immersive internships, students in the College
of Education gain the classroom experience needed to lead with confidence on day one.
“The College of Education recognizes that teaching is the most important profession
for a community,” said Dr. Cheryl Ellerbrock, campus dean. “What better way to celebrate
teachers than to have them walk across a red carpet, sign their contracts, and be
cheered on as they begin this noble profession.”
The partnership between USF and the Manatee County School District includes hands-on
training opportunities, paid internships, and support for advanced degrees and certifications.
“Our partnership with USF offers this opportunity to become a teacher and keep growing,” said Kevin Chapman, executive director of administration for the district. “We’re proud to build a creative pathway for these future educators.”
Dr. Annette Codelia, executive director of elementary education, reminded students
of the significance of their choice. “This will be the ride of your life,” she said.
“You’ll shape young minds—our future leaders—and you’ll be that person who believes
in them, just as someone believed in you.”
From early lessons at whiteboards and reading circles to tearful triumphs and classroom
milestones, graduates were reminded that teaching is more than a job—it’s a calling.
“Our future will be built in classrooms, on carpet squares and lab tables, at whiteboards
and bus stops—by people just like you who show up every day with energy, empathy,
and excellence,” Kemker said. “You are stepping into one of the noblest professions
on earth.”
The event concluded with a group photo and plenty of hugs as the newly signed teachers
looked ahead to their first classrooms—and to the many lives they’ll shape along the
way.
Educator Signing Day Teachers:
Bennitt Barnes - Jessie P. Miller Elementary, 3rd grade
Trinity Broderick - Bayshore Elementary, 2nd grade
Lindsey Connolly - Williams Elementary, 2nd grade
Alexandria Harrison - Ballard Elementary, 3rd grade
Chloe Knopf - Williams Elementary, 2nd grade
Photography by Kathleen Castro, University Communications and Marketing and Manatee County School District