Keynote Speakers

Jonathan Alsheimer

Jonathan Alsheimer is the unorthodox, energetic, and entertaining middle school teacher who refuses to live a life of limitations and works with UFC Fighters, Celebrities, and Clothing Brands. In addition to being a passionate educator, Jonathan is an international keynote speaker and the author of "NEXT LEVEL TEACHING," a #1 new release in education on Amazon in March of 2020.

Jonathan, taught at the world-renowned Fred Lynn Middle School, which was featured in two documentaries "Relentless" and "Relentless: Chasing Accreditation," as the teacher who forged a partnership with UFC Fighter and light-weight contender Paul Felder to bring a message of never giving up, fighting for their education, and empowering the students to believe in themselves, all principles that Jonathan promotes in his classroom.

Jonathan Alsheimer also partnered with Fear the Fighter, MMA clothing brand to establish a stop-bullying campaign with "Relentless" Principal Hamish Brewer. Jonathan Alsheimer didn't stop there and established a relationship with Chris "Drama" Pfaff, MTV reality star and CEO of Young and Reckless to promote and build student leaders in his school.

Jonathan currently teaches at THE Chancellor Middle School in northern Virginia and has been featured on USA Channel 9 and NBC News for establishing a national give-back movement called "A Rae of Hope," started in his classroom to help pediatric patients in hospitals, which has now grown and been implemented in schools and classrooms in over 15 states.

As Jonathan always says, "Game-changing is not a cliche motto; it is a way of life... some talk about it while others live by it!

George Hawkins

George Hawkins is a social studies teacher for 11th and 12th graders at the Project Based Learning (PBL) Academy at Jefferson High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Hawkins teaches Advanced Placement (AP) government, dual credit government and co-teaches American Experience (U.S. history, English III and American film history).

Hawkins earned his Bachelor of Arts in government and international affairs from Augustana University. After student teaching, he decided that teaching was not for him. Hawkins then earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of South Dakota School of Law and began practicing as an attorney in Watertown, South Dakota, and later in Sioux Falls.

Hawkins traded a career in law for a career in education in 2012, when he began to teach at New Technology High School, a school that utilized project-based learning. He helped to develop a co-taught course, American Experience, at the school and taught the school’s first AP course in government.

Hawkins was awarded the 2016 James Madison Fellowship for the state of South Dakota, which helps teachers who wish to pursue further education focused on the Constitution. He completed the requirements of the fellowship and earned a master’s degree in American history and government from Ashland University.

As a teacher, Hawkins likes to have students learn by doing, which is the practice that inspired him to teach in a PBL classroom. He finds that students are more engaged in the learning process when using this teaching model, allowing him to develop stronger connections with students.