Mackenzie Fritz is a senior at York College of Pennsylvania majoring in Early Childhood Education. She is passionate about working with children and thrives on meeting new students, building meaningful relationships, and watching young minds learn and grow. Mackenzie believes that the most effective learning experiences are both hands-on and minds-on, allowing students to actively engage with concepts and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. She values structure and consistency in the classroom, recognizing that a supportive and predictable environment helps students build confidence and succeed.

Her dedication to education extends beyond the classroom, as she spends much of her free time substitute teaching, gaining valuable experience and strengthening community connections. In addition to being a full-time student, Mackenzie works full-time as a restaurant server while balancing multiple substitute-teaching assignments and her student-teaching practicum. Her strong work ethic, commitment to service, and passion for helping others are evident in all aspects of her life.

Mackenzie actively volunteers through her church and community programs, where she enjoys mentoring and supporting students of all backgrounds. Outside of education, she has a special love for animals and values opportunities to care for and advocate for them. Through her dedication, compassion, and leadership, she strives to make a positive impact on the lives of those around her while fostering engaging, structured, and meaningful learning experiences for every student she meets.

Hannah Rake is a dedicated teacher candidate at PennWest University–Clarion pursuing a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She will complete a full year of student teaching during the 2026–2027 academic year, working in both first- and sixth-grade classrooms. Hannah is the recipient of the 2026 Mary Ravita Memorial Scholarship.

Throughout her time at PennWest, Hannah has combined classroom learning with meaningful leadership and advocacy experiences. She currently serves as State President of Student PSEA and has held leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels through Student PSEA and NEA Aspiring Educators. In these roles, she has organized professional development conferences, advocated for policies that strengthen the educator pipeline, mentored aspiring educators, and worked to expand opportunities for future teachers across Pennsylvania.

Beyond her leadership experience, Hannah is passionate about creating engaging, hands-on learning opportunities for students. She developed a STEAM lending library through an NEA CREATE Grant, helping bring engineering and project-based learning into elementary classrooms, and has participated in numerous literacy, outreach, and community service initiatives. Her experiences have reinforced her commitment to making learning meaningful, accessible, and engaging for every child.

Following graduation, she plans to teach in Pennsylvania public schools, where she hopes to foster curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning while continuing to advocate for strong public education and the educators who make it possible.