This year’s symposium theme, Connected, explores the vital links between classrooms, communities, and careers. As educators lead the way in shaping learning that reflects the world students are entering, they rely on strong connections—with employers, higher education, nonprofits, and one another. We invite proposals from educators and their partners across sectors who are working together to create meaningful, relevant, and future-ready learning experiences.
We are currently seeking presenters to host a variety of engaging breakout sessions for participants. Priority will be given to proposals that speak to:
Learning Beyond the Bell: Learning happens at schools, on the job, and in communities. This track invites sessions on community-based learning, maker culture, internships, and extended learning opportunities (ELOs), including how K–12 schools, colleges, and employers are recognizing and supporting informal learning. We’re especially interested in models that strengthen pathways to postsecondary options—whether college, career training, or employment.
Powerful Partnerships: What happens when schools, employers, higher education institutions, and communities team up with purpose? This track highlights bold, creative collaborations that expand opportunity for learners—from employer-led projects and apprenticeship models to nonprofit-college-school alliances that reimagine what’s possible. We’re looking for sessions that show real impact, share lessons learned, and spark ideas for cross-sector work that supports learners and strengthens communities.
Voices That Matter: We know that education is pivotal in fostering and sustaining our democratic society. This track focuses on empowering those closest to education from student leadership to enact systems change to educator advocacy in policy decisions and everything in between. Topics could include amplifying student voice, civic engagement in classrooms, and how students, educators and communities are speaking up and shaping systems.
Trailblazing Teaching: Today’s educators are leading change—in how students learn, how schools operate, and how communities connect. This track celebrates the evolving role of teachers as innovators, advocates, and culture-builders. We’re looking for sessions that explore how educators are using technology (including AI), building peer networks, staying well in challenging times, and shaping the future of the profession with creativity and courage.
Learning That Sticks: When learning is meaningful and personal, it lasts. This track explores instructional approaches that build confidence and purpose through place-based learning, problem-solving, experiential education, and career and technical pathways. We welcome sessions that demonstrate how educators, higher education, and employers are helping students—especially first-generation and underrepresented learners—connect personal growth to academic, career, and lifelong success.
The annual Symposium will reflect Educate Maine‘s work covering the entire educational pipeline from early childhood to adult education. Proposals are welcome in all areas of the pipeline as well as on policies in Maine or elsewhere that could help achieve Maine’s statewide education attainment goal. Business-education partnerships and initiatives that support lifelong learning and talent attraction and retention are also welcome.
To complete the proposal form you will need the names, titles, email addresses, and brief bios for your speakers (maximum 5). If you are unsure of an individual speaker but can indicate a partner organization at the time of submission, an opportunity will be provided to indicate those proposed speakers on the following page. Every effort should be made to list all speakers at the time of submission, all speakers will need to be confirmed no later than October 1, 2025.
List yourself as the first speaker in the form. Add any other speakers after you. As the first speaker listed, you will be required to confirm your submission via the email address you input into the form for the submission to be completed. No other speakers listed will receive confirmation emails so please list yourself first to ensure that you are the point of contact for your proposal.
You will also need to provide a compelling description of your proposed session in 3–5 sentences. This description should clearly communicate the focus of your session, highlight its relevance to the audience, and showcase what makes it engaging or unique. In an additional 2–3 sentences, outline the learning objectives for participants and describe how you will promote audience engagement during the session (e.g., discussion, activities, Q&A).
If your proposal is selected, this description will be published on our website and in the event program, so please write it with the event audience in mind.
You will also be asked which 2025 track your session most aligns with from the list above. You will only be able to select one.
Please note: Selected speakers are required to register for the symposium at a discounted rate of $60 (more than 50% off the general admission price). Complimentary registration is not provided. However, teachers and nonprofit leaders may be eligible for grant funded tickets to reduce barriers to participation. All student speakers will be invited to join their sessions at no charge.
All sessions will be 50 mins - one topic, often a panel, presentation, or workshop
Our team selects breakout sessions based on a number of factors. Our priority is to offer symposium attendees a diverse selection of engaging and informative sessions from which to choose. We value breadth, depth, expertise from within and beyond Maine, new ideas, compelling data, high-quality professional development, and topics related to our mission. Proposals will be evaluated more specifically based on the following criteria:
Singular vendors and other organizations wishing to highlight their products or services can request a booth in our exhibition area when registration opens but will not be considered for session presentation. Please reach out to info@educatemaine.org for more information on exhibition booths.
The deadline for submission is 5:00pm on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. All proposals must be submitted online via the Sched platform to be considered. We will notify presenters of a decision in August. Accepted proposals will require event registration from all speakers no later than October 31, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@educatemaine.org.
