The Summit 2027: Keynote Request for Presentations

Meet the Moment: real opportunities, real growth, right now

Meet the Moment

The Educator Academy invites educators to apply to be a keynote speaker at The Summit: Meet the Moment, taking place Saturday, February 20, 2027, in Kansas City.

The Summit is a one-day conference designed to celebrate the excellent work educators are doing, create space to envision how education can be even better, and uplift the brilliance of educators in our community.

At The Summit 2027: Meet the Moment, we will gather to learn from fellow educators who have faced real challenges, choices, and opportunities with belief, determination, and strategy.

This year’s keynote experience will explore what happens when educators find themselves in those moments and what they learn when they choose how to respond.

Right Here, Right Now: Stories of Educators Meeting the Moment

The EA is seeking four educators with different backgrounds, roles, and perspectives to share personal stories connected to this year’s theme. Each speaker will have 12 minutes to deliver a highly rehearsed, TED-style talk to an audience of 200+ educators.

We are looking for stories. We want to hear about a single, meaningful moment in your educational journey: what happened, what you chose to do, what happened next, and what you learned along the way.

We welcome stories of both challenge and possibility; moments that capture the everyday realities of working, growing, and striving in education. We are seeking authentic vulnerability and encourage speakers to share moments that reveal something real about who they are, what they believe, and how their experiences have shaped them as educators.

Our hope is that attendees leave inspired by the educators they hear from and reflective about the moments they are experiencing in their own work.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit your application by October 30, 2026.

Final keynote materials will be developed and rehearsed in partnership with The Educator Academy after speakers are selected.

Speakers will be compensated for their time. Details on submission expectations, timeline, preparation, and compensation are outlined here.

The Educator Academy Summit Keynote Application

"*" indicates required fields

Please submit the following:

Personal Information

Name*

First* Last*

Email*

Phone Number*

Current Role*

Organization*

How many years of experience do you have in education?*

Proposed Talk Title*

Elevator Pitch*

In 3-5 sentences, please tell us about your moment. Include the choice, challenge, and outcome.

Audience Takeaway*

In 100 words or less, tell us what you want listeners to walk away with.

Intro Video*

Record a 2-3 min video introducing yourself and telling us why you want to share your story at The Summit. If you have trouble submitting your intro video, please email it to melissa@educator-academy.org.

No file selectedBrowseAccepted file types: mp4, mov, Max. file size: 50 MB.

Commitment*

I commit to the preparation schedule outlined, including in-person rehearsals and day-before run-throughs.

Headshot

Please share a photo you would be comfortable with us using to promote your session at The Summit. This will only be utilized if your session is chosen for The Summit.

No file selectedBrowseAccepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, Max. file size: 50 MB.

Slides or visual materials to accompany your talk

No file selectedBrowse

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, mp4, mov, Max. file size: 50 MB.