Greetings!

🍂 October Is Here — and So Much Is Happening Across South Dakota!

October is one of our favorite months in Educators Rising South Dakota. Energy is high, classrooms are buzzing, and our chapters are in full motion across the state! From students stepping onto college campuses for our Learning Expos, to members preparing for state competitions, this month is all about connection, growth, and momentum.


Our focus through the TRAFLES framework this month is on Teaching — the heartbeat of everything we do. It’s a reminder that each of us has the power to inspire and shape future educators through the experiences we create right now.

In this month’s newsletter, we’re celebrating a season of opportunity across Educators Rising South Dakota! You’ll find updates on membership registration, details about state competitions now open, a spotlight on the Legacy & Light Award honoring outstanding educators, and ways to stay connected through our Educators Rising SD app. Each piece reflects our shared mission — to inspire, support, and grow the next generation of educators across our state.

Thank you for the leadership and enthusiasm you bring to this movement. Because of you, our students continue to see what’s possible when passion meets purpose. Let’s make October a month of impact, inspiration, and rising together!


— Travis Lape

State Director, Educators Rising South Dakota

October is all about building our statewide Educators Rising SD network — and we need your help to get there! Our goal this month is to have all 60 chapters registered and see where our statewide membership stands.

💡 Why It Matters

Registering your members ensures they’re officially part of the Educators Rising South Dakota community. Once registered, students unlock access to:

• State and national competitions
• Leadership development opportunities
• College Learning Expos across South Dakota
• Chapter support and personalized resources

🧾 Membership Details

This year’s dues are $10 for state and $15 for national membership.

Here’s how it works:

1. Register your members with Educators Rising SD.
2. Members will receive an email with instructions to complete their National Educators Rising registration.
3. Educators Rising SD will send one combined payment to Nationals and invoice your school for the total ($25 per member).

💬 Don’t stress about payment — we’ll work with you and your school to make the process simple.

🚀 Take Action

Please complete your chapter’s member registration this month to help us reach our statewide goal! If you have members already registered, please visit the Chapter Membership Rosters to see who has registered from your chapter already and who might be missing.

We are in full swing this month with exciting opportunities for students to explore South Dakota’s universities and connect with fellow Educators Rising members across the state!

To kick things off, our first Learning Expo was hosted at the University of South Dakota—and it was an incredible success. Over 180 students joined us on campus to hear from inspiring speakers, attend engaging breakout sessions, and experience firsthand what it’s like to be part of USD’s education community. We’re thrilled to share our USD Recap Video with you—be sure to check it out and celebrate the energy and momentum that’s building across the state!

Looking ahead, we have a full calendar of Learning Expos this month:

• DSU Learning Expo – October 8
• BHSU Learning Expo – October 15
• Augustana Learning Expo – October 23
• SDSU Learning Expo – October 28

Each event is another opportunity for our members to connect, learn, and take the next step in their journey toward becoming future educators.

Competitions are a great way for your students to try something new and challenge themselves! Whether you’re a brand-new chapter or a returning chapter that hasn’t had competitors yet—don’t stress.

We’re fortunate to have an incredible resource in our state: Lisa Norris, our Competition Coordinator. Lisa would love to connect with your chapter this month and walk you through the competition process, answer questions, and help your members get plugged in.

If you’d like support, please reach out to Lisa Norris—she’s ready to help your students take the next step!

Educators Rising South Dakota is proud to introduce a new honor for our members — The Legacy & Light Award.

This award is designed to recognize outstanding future educators who are making a real difference in their schools, communities, and in shaping the future of education.

But it is more than that — it’s also about honoring the educational giants who came before us. Each year, we will invite nominations of retired educators or educators who are no longer with us, whose impact in the field of education continues to shine.

From those nominations, our board will select five past educators whose stories deserve to be celebrated. Their names and legacies will be paired with five Educators Rising members, chosen through a nomination and review process.

Together, the honorees will represent both the legacy of education in South Dakota and the light of future educators who carry that work forward.

How it works:

1. Submit a nomination for a past educator (retired or no longer with us) who made an impact by October 31st.
2. A selection panel will review and select 5 past educators for this year's award. Any nominations placed this year will carry over into further years.

200 E Willow Street

Harrisburg, SD 57032

statedirector@edrisingsd.org

605-360-5529