Since January, Elizabeth Raff has been speaking at conferences and events across the country to advocate for teachers and to highlight the importance of education everywhere. Raff, who works as Penn Manor School District's elementary learning facilitator, was selected as Pennsylvania's Teacher of the Year for 2022-23.

Raff's journey to become the state's Teacher of the Year began with being nominated for the award in 2021, followed by an extensive application process. During this time, Raff completed phone interviews, filmed lessons and wrote essays to display her skills as a teacher. "It was the best professional development I've ever received," Raff said. "It really allowed me to reflect on my craft and become a better teacher."

At the end of the application process, Raff was selected from 12 finalists to represent Pennsylvania in a cohort of all states' and territories' award recipients. As the state's representative, Raff committed to two years of service: one year to advocate at the local level and one year on the national stage. Her duties have included speaking at workshops for educators and traveling around the country with her fellow teachers as they have worked to encourage support for the country's schools.

In February 2023, Raff and her group of teachers visited the headquarters of Google in California, where they discussed how to use technology to benefit students in the classroom. In April, the education advocates traveled to Washington, D.C., for the 2023 National and State Teachers of the Year Celebration at the White House. Raff and her cohort met with several legislators to elicit support for classrooms around the country and spoke with first lady Jill Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. They discussed the issues that schools are facing today and considered solutions to many of the challenges experienced by teachers. The teachers also participated in an international summit on teaching that was attended by chancellors of education from around the world. The week concluded with a ceremony in the White House's rose garden and a discussion with President Joe Biden.

In July, Raff and the other teachers will visit NASA's space camp in Huntsville, Ala., and they will visit Princeton, N.J., in the fall to advocate for education-friendly policies. Raff's duties as Pennsylvania's Teacher of the Year will conclude in January 2024 with a visit to the NCAA Division I football championship.

"When we elevate teachers, we elevate students and learning. It's important to highlight the incredible work that teachers do every day and recognize that they make a difference," Raff said.

Throughout her time as an advocate, Raff has continued to work as an elementary learning facilitator for Penn Manor School District. In this recently created position, Raff provides guidance for teachers by giving them feedback on material, offering model lessons in classrooms and assisting with strategies for educating students. Raff worked as a sixth-grade teacher at Pequea Elementary School for nine years before filling her current role.

"I'm excited to bring back what I've gleaned from my experience this year and to directly support the learning of educators in Penn Manor," Raff said. "I'm also just grateful to be able to represent all of our great teachers; I have a lot of wonderful colleagues who could easily have been in my shoes."