MFEA molds students into future educators

Were you the kid that always played teacher? There is a new club in Milton Area School District that can help you turn your childhood activities into a reality. 

 Milton Future Educators Association helps interested students to become educators. This club sets students up with resources to enter the education field, according to MFEA Advisor and Middle School English Teacher Ms. Heaven Reinard. 

MFEA is open to eighth, ninth or tenth graders who want to become teachers. As juniors, they will begin attending classes at Bloomsburg University after second block, according to Ms. Reinard. 

“The goal is to find people that want to be teachers, and then from there, guide them to this program, which will help them in their journey to be a teacher,” said Ms. Reinard. 

Ms. Reinard said that the college class credits will count towards a student’s high school rank and GPA as the same weight as an AP class. If they participate in the program during their junior and senior years, they could graduate high school with up to 26 college credits and bypass their freshman year of college, she added. 

Ms. Reinard said she helps club members individually to find colleges that they’re interested in and to make sure they want to go into education by exploring the members’ interests. She said she also prepares them for college classes. 

“Not only am I trying to provide them with support as future teachers, I’m trying to individualize that support, as well to get them where they need to be,” added Ms. Reinard.  

Sophomore Kendall Fedder said she joined MFEA to get help with becoming a guidance counselor. She said this club has helped her to not worry about having a plan for the future. She said she is most excited for getting to meet new people and making relationships with the professors at Bloomsburg University. 

“I can eliminate stress and anxiety of college when I graduate high school,” said Kendall. 

Each MFEA member will also be paired with a Bloomsburg University Education student  mentor, added Ms. Reinard. This mentor will help them if they get lost on campus, assist them with their classes and be there with them if they just need a friend, said Ms. Reinard. 

Ms. Reinard is a member of the Council of Education Advisory Board at Bloomsburg University. She said she works with professors and the Associate Dean to discuss how to help students with their future plans. 

 “We get together and basically discuss how the Education Department can better assist current students and future students,” said Ms. Reinard. 

The club currently has nine sophomore members and four freshmen. Ms. Reinard said sophomores must apply by April 15 in order to be accepted into Bloomsburg University. Accepted students will attend Bloomsburg programs starting fall semester, Ms. Reinard added. Students from the school will be bussed by Bloomsburg from the high school to the university. 

Ms. Reinard said if you are interested in joining MFEA, contact her by email, teams or in person. The meetings are currently being held in either Room 127 or the Literacy Café. 

So far, no other schools in the area offer this program, said Ms. Reinard.