Fund for Teachers awards Asheville educators grants for summer fellowships

Here’s the press release from the Asheville City Schools Foundation:

Fund for Teachers Awards Asheville Educators Grants for Self-Designed Summer Fellowships
Exploring South African ecosystems, researching Thailand’s art/culture among odysseys funded by national nonprofit
April 29, 2014 – Fund for Teachers, a national nonprofit awarding teacher grants for personalized professional development, is partnering with the Asheville City Schools Foundation (ACSF) to provide year-long fellowships to seven Asheville teachers. The newly-named Fellows will pursue knowledge around the world this summer and then work as a cohort throughout the following school year to bring their global experiences back to students in Asheville classrooms.
These preK-12 educators designed unique learning experiences (ranging from studying the astronomy/geology of Chile’s Atacama Desert to observing early child care in Mozambique) to fill learning gaps, enhance teaching and advance student achievement. A complete list of Asheville recipients with their fellowship descriptions is available on the organization’s blog and the Asheville City Schools Foundation website.
“Fund for Teachers bridges the gap between what teachers have and what students need to advance academically,” said Karen Webb, Fund for Teachers’ executive director. “Fellows turn our initial investment into broadened perspectives and engaged learning – for themselves and their students. The result is a transformed career and classroom.”
“We are so grateful to Fund for Teachers for providing this amazing opportunity which is a terrific addition to the year-round fellowships we have awarded for the past five years,” said ACSF director Kate Pett.
Although this marks the first year Asheville teachers were eligible for the Fund for Teachers grant, the organization has invested $22 million in the self-designed fellowships of more than 6,000 teachers since 2001. ACSF has awarded fellowships to more than 80 teachers in the City Schools to pursue professional development and action research across the United States. Fellows will post updates throughout the summer on the organization’s blog, Facebook and Twitter feed. Teachers may begin applying for 2015 Fund for Teachers grants online beginning October 1.
Fund for Teachers enriches the personal and professional growth of teachers by recognizing and supporting them as they identify and pursue opportunities around the world that impact their practice, the academic lives of their students and school communities. For more information, visit fundforteachers.org

Paige Duft, Misty Theisen – Isaac Dickson
Research Thailand’s art and culture at the Loi Krathong and Yi Peng festivals to create similar school celebrations and create connections between Thai and North Carolina music/architecture.

Patti Evans – Isaac Dickson
Observe, record and document the daily life of school children in South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe to demonstrate student similarities/differences and develop an appreciation of diverse cultures.

Angela Jones, Kelly McCarthy & Brian Randall – Hall Fletcher
Observe astronomical and geological wonders of Chile’s Atacama Desert (scientifically compared to the surface of Mars) to develop engaging units of study and protocols for student fieldwork.

Elizabeth Smith – Ira B. Jones
Explore Southern African ecosystems while assisting a Peace Corp English teacher at a rural school to enhance current science curriculum and encourage student curiosity in the lives of others around the world.