The largest gathering of Seventh-day Adventist K-12 educators will convene in Dallas, Texas, August 13-16.  An estimated 6,000 teachers will attend the convention.  The gathering, the first of its kind for the Adventist Church in North America, will provide teachers with practical help for the classroom, as well as addressing critical issues such as job burnout, at-risk behaviors, and long hours for low pay.

“We don’t view the people who work with our children as teachers,” says Richard Osborn, event spokesperson and vice president of education for the church in North America.  “We consider them to be ministers of education.”

Convention organizers say the event goals are to motivate and train educators of the 65,000 students currently enrolled in Adventist elementary and secondary schools in Bermuda, Canada, and the United States.

According to Osborn, the commitment of Adventist teachers and the value Adventists place on education mean that 75 percent of its students attend college-a higher percentage than public school students.  In addition, Osborn reports, they are more likely than their public school peers to remain active in service and church activities, to demonstrate a strong work ethic, and to go into service-oriented professions.