RCSD and RTA Recognize Career in Teaching Interns of the Year

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Who: 12 Career in Teaching Interns of the Year Superintendent of Schools Dr. Eric Jay Rosser Rochester Teachers Association President Adam Urbanski CIT Leader-Teacher mentors and Joint Governing Panel members

What: Career in Teaching Interns of the Year Awards Ceremony and Dinner

When: Monday, May 18, 2026, 5:15 p.m.

Where: Temple B’rith Kodesh 2131 Elmwood Avenue Rochester, NY 14618

Details: The Rochester City School District and the Rochester Teachers Association will celebrate the 2025 – 26 Career in Teaching (CIT) Program Interns of the Year.

Unlike traditional professional development, Rochester’s CIT program focuses on the “whole educator.” Mentors provide intensive support that encompasses all aspects of the profession, from lesson planning and classroom setup to personal essentials such as coordinating childcare, finding housing, and ensuring new teachers have the mental health support and networks they need.

Established in 1987 as one of the first of its kind in the nation, the CIT Program is dismantling low teacher retention rates, maintaining a five-year teacher retention rate of 75% (for teachers who began in 2020–2021 and remain in 2025–2026), which is approximately 20% higher than the national average. Retention among bilingual educators is even higher at 80%. This classroom stability directly translates to improved student outcomes.

The following twelve individuals will be recognized:

Michael Hanover, School of the Arts
Destiny Fernandes, East High School
Emily Gibbons, Pinnacle School No. 35
Emma Macero, School No. 17
Nelisa Torres-Gayle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School No. 9
Jaqlyn Lesier, Abelard Reynolds School No. 42
Morgan West, Mary McLeod Bethune School No. 45
Brittany Rumph, Dr. David and Ruth Anderson Academy School No. 16
Lisa Roy, Enrico Fermi School No. 17
Darlene Brumfield, Dr. Charles T. Lunsford School No. 19
Sarah O’Rawe, Henry Hudson School No. 28
Kelsea Kagarise, Special Education

Recipients attend the ceremony with their mentors, supervisors, and families. These educators have made outstanding efforts on behalf of their students and have accomplished tremendous professional growth with the year-long comprehensive support of their CIT mentors.