SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Cochise County Superintendent of Schools held its annual Innovation in Education Conference on Friday. More than 200 people attended the 8th annual conference, which is the largest attendance in the eight years.
The day was filled with speeches, presentations, and activities. Cochise County Superintendent of Schools, Jacqui Clay, said there were 15 vendors set up and 35 speakers from across the state and country. The day focused on how education can improve and how educators can grow in the county.
Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels and Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre gave a joint presentation Friday morning, about how kids can be affected by fentanyl, how they are being recruited to smuggle and signs people can look for in abuse situations.
Other breakout session topics included metal health, "Re-energizing You", STEM and other educational topics.
For Clay, the day was about learning and listening, so everyone feels heard.
“We don’t just talk. We learn and then we act," she said "But again if we don’t learn together as a community, if we learn in silos, we can't move together as a community.”
Clay says the turnout shows the amount of support the education community has in Cochise County and anticipates next year's conference will be even bigger.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
