Thirty future teachers studying at Utah Valley University got one-on-one mentors from Alpine School District for the first time on Thursday, July 9, at the annual Show Up for Teachers conference in Sandy.

It's Alpine's first formal mentorship partnership with UVU's School of Education. The district serves more than 80 schools across northern Utah County, including schools in the Draper area.

Alpine teachers from 27 schools signed up, representing every grade level and more than a dozen subjects. Each completed a questionnaire about their career path and the grade levels and settings they prefer. UVU leaders then used those answers to match them with education students, according to the district.

The Show Up for Teachers conference is a statewide educator wellness event launched in 2022 by Utah First Lady Abby Cox. Educators can earn USBE credit hours or university credit through Southern Utah University by attending, and receive free classroom supplies.

"We jumped at this opportunity to give our veteran teachers an opportunity to share their expertise and influence with teacher candidates at Utah Valley University," Rich Stowell, Alpine's communications director, said at the event.

Mia Kang, associate dean of UVU's School of Education, helped create the program alongside Alpine and the Show Up for Teachers team. Kang said the partnership was forged in March with support from Cox, who hosts the annual conference.

Among the pairings: Melissa Allen, a veteran Alpine teacher who earned her doctorate at Baylor University, was matched with Miriam Martinez, a UVU biology education major set to intern at Mountain View High School in Orem during the coming school year.

Martinez said the experience eased her nerves about entering the classroom. "There's a lot of worry about how prepared I'm going to be and how ready I'm going to be, but after talking to my mentor, I know there will be so many challenges, but I also know that it's going to be an amazing experience," she said.

Allen, who recalled the impact of her own mentors during her doctoral work, said the program benefits veterans as much as newcomers. She described the day as a chance to "continue the learning process."

Alpine is scheduled to split into three successor districts beginning July 1, 2027, with the Draper-area portion falling under the future Aspen Peaks School District. Whether the mentorship program will continue after the split has not been announced.