Inaugural “Bridging Education & Industry for Economic Growth” Summit in Hobbs brings together students, educators, business leaders, and policymakers to build shared understanding and develop solutions for college and career readiness
Hobbs, NM, June 9, 2025—With an 18% poverty rate, New Mexico consistently ranks among the nation’s poorest states despite significant investments. To address this challenge, Teach Plus New Mexico is launching the Economic Mobility Summit Series to align education and workforce systems and create pathways for student success and a better economic future. The organization, which empowers highly effective teachers to advocate for system-level improvements, will hold four convenings in 2025 where educators, business leaders, policymakers, and community advocates will build a shared understanding of college and career readiness, explore how to support and measure these efforts, and develop collaborative solutions. The series kicks off today at CTECH of Hobbs High School with a full-day event titled: “Bridging Education & Industry for Economic Growth.”
“We know education and poverty are connected – people with more education have much lower poverty rates and earn significantly more. That’s why we have to work together to tackle our state’s poverty problem. At Teach Plus New Mexico, our teacher leaders are committed to helping students succeed long after they graduate, but we can’t do this work alone. Educators and business leaders must work hand in hand to give the next generation real opportunities for economic success,” said Hope Morales, Teach Plus New Mexico Executive Director.
The Hobbs summit brings together participants from across southeastern New Mexico, including Artesia, Carlsbad, Clovis, Hobbs, Lovington, Portales, and Roswell. The event opens with a youth panel where participants will hear directly from students about their experiences, needs, and aspirations. Panelists include students in 9th, 11th, and 12th grades, plus two recent graduates from May 2025. Jaycie Homer, a 6th grade teacher leader, CTE department head, and technology mentor at Sixth Grade Academy in Lovington and Teach Plus New Mexico Advocacy Fellow, will facilitate the panel.
Following the student panel, attendees will hear from New Mexico Workforce Solutions Deputy Secretary Scott Groginsky, who will present a landscape analysis and data overview of high-wage, high-need careers in the region and discuss how K-12 education can support the workforce pipeline.
The afternoon features two panel discussions: business partners from banking, energy, and healthcare will share insights about their industries, immediate needs and opportunities within their fields, and the qualifications that make effective employees. An education partners panel will feature teachers, system leaders, and advocates discussing how their organizations contribute to students’ postsecondary success. Throughout the day, participants will have multiple opportunities to reflect on their learning, identify current needs, and explore partnership opportunities to advance economic mobility in New Mexico.
The Hobbs Summit is the first of four in-person and virtual convenings Teach Plus will host in 2025. The second in-person summit will take place in August in northern New Mexico.
About Teach Plus
The mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership in shaping education policy and improving teaching and learning for students. teachplus.org/nm/
For more information and/or to arrange interviews, contact Kelly Pearce at kpearce@teachplus.org or 928-925-9236.
