Experience the B.E.S.T. Conference:
A Community of BIPOC Educators in STEM
June 14th-15th, 2025
June 14th-15th, 2025
8:30-3:30 each day
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2001 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80205
Conference Only: $500 Early Bird*/$550 General
Conference & Monthly Affinity Groups: $550 Early Bird*/$600 General
*Early Bird pricing ends May 14, 2025
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B.E.S.T. – BIPOC Educational STEM Thinkers!
Empowering BIPOC STEM educators to create positive change in their communitites.
While students of color make up more than half of our student population nationwide, educators of color are fewer and farther between and experience unique stresses in our roles in schools. If you identify with this experience, this event is for you: we invite you to immerse yourself in a community of BIPOC STEM educators. Join us to explore opportunities for belonging, awareness, healing, and change. Across two days, we will connect and discuss our challenges as well as build strength and a sense of community that we can bring back to our schools.
After this two-day conference, we will then have monthly affinity group meetings that are tailored to participant capacity, needs, and collective goals. Groups may range from tackling policy and brainstorming instructional strategies, to simply having a safe space to be and show up authentically. Participants will have the influence and autonomy to guide this experience.Â
Panelists Coming Soon!
What previous years' participants said about the conference:
"It was refreshing to be in a learning environment with people that look like me. The knowledge I've gained along the way will contribute to improved outcomes for my students."
"It was a great time to bounce ideas off of like minded people and make some great connections throughout the field of education."
"This conference reaffirmed my connection to my Arab culture and inspired me to be a brave voice for my community."
"The BEST Conference was absolutely wonderful. The time was well spent, building community, sharing in activities, and learning and understanding about the issues in BIPOC educators and how to support it."
"The joy, connections, and sense of belonging experienced in this inaugural meeting help reinforce the impact and necessity of such a cohort. I left invigorated and prepared to show up as my authentic self in executive spaces and continue forging forward with building capacity for the next iteration of BIPOC leaders."
"A wonderful learning experience that build a community, and affirm my belief in myself in the teaching profession."
"This conference was worth the time and experience...I realized how much I don't know about the educational inequities and how I want to be apart of the future."
"It is a very transforming experience, especially what we have learned, but even more, what we have shared with so many people with different paths and experiences."
Below are additional resources and articles about BEST:
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Check out our Collection of Reflections from our BEST Affinity Groups ‘24
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BEST '24 Impact Report
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Reimagining Retention for BIPOC Educators (blog post)
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Colorado Sun (article)
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U.S. Department of Education *COMING SOON!*
Hotel Accommodations
Courtyard Denver Cherry Creek
1475 S. Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 757-8797
Facilitators
Jenny Hochmiller
PEBC Director of Diversity/Equity/Inclusion & Residency Initiatives
Jenny Hochmiller is the Director of DEI & Residency Initiatives, meaning she (1) supports PEBC’s teacher preparation program by providing high-quality instruction to teachers who are working toward their licensure across the state of Colorado, and (2) utilizes data to support colleagues in successfully transferring DEI theory into practice. Jenny holds a strong passion for building out a robust teacher pipeline for schools, ensuring new teachers are met with the full support they need to thrive within their profession, and being a champion for equity within every school environment and educator she supports.
Prior to joining PEBC, Jenny spent a decade in the Montbello community of Denver, Colorado working as an educator in a diverse range of roles – teacher, track and cross country coach, instructional coach, and assistant principal. Jenny earned her undergraduate degree in Secondary Math Education from the University of Northern Colorado. She earned her graduate degree in Leadership of Educational Organizations from the University of Northern Colorado Denver.
In her spare time, Jenny loves going on adventures with her husband Ryan and their daughters Ariana and Raegan. This includes getting outdoors, exploring the city, and being in community with family and friends.
Jailyn Jenkins
PEBC Manager of Resident Development, Innovation & Coaching
Jailyn Jenkins has built her career on a foundation of belonging, equity, joy, and the daily adventures of learning, striving to instill a passion for science, especially among students of color. Inspired by curiosity, nature, and exploration, her dedication focuses on cultivating joyful learning experiences and authentic visibility in the STEM field. Growing up, she navigated diverse spaces and actively carved out room for advocacy and representation in areas where they were scarce and undervalued.
Facing Arizona's early teacher shortage, Jailyn started her teaching career before officially earning her STEM Education degree from Arizona State University. After a few years of teaching in Phoenix, she returned to her hometown of Denver, to teach and complete her Masters in Education Administration at Grand Canyon University. She then ventured into spaces that allowed her to influence and enhance equity-centered communities. Becoming a lab host provided her with another platform for advocacy, complementing her roles as a science instructional coach, staff developer, district facilitator, and public speaker.
After more than a decade of dedicated service, Jailyn identified a need to explore and expand into an organization committed to enhancing education systems and student access comprehensively. Joining the team at the Public Education and Business Coalition, she currently serves as the Manager of Resident Development, Innovation, and Coaching. Jailyn also is the co-founder of the fruitful BEST (BIPOC Educational STEM Thinkers) Conference and affinity groups, an initiative rooted in connecting, supporting, and sustaining educators, both locally and nationally, because like Marian Wright Edelman once said, "it's hard to be what you can't see."
Interested in sponsoring this event? Click HERE or contact Jailyn Jenkins at jjenkins@pebc.org
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