Announcement from NC State University:
Five Western NC Teachers have been named 2020-21 Kenan Fellows. The educators are among a group of 19 K-12 public school teachers from across North Carolina who have been selected to participate in the 2020-21 fellowship year. This summer, and throughout the year, the teachers will partner with local experts in agriculture, scientific research, energy, high-tech manufacturing, and other STEM fields.
As part of the award, Kenan Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend and participate in 80 hours of professional development that focuses on project-based instruction, digital learning, elevating teacher voice and the teaching profession, strengthening ties between the school and the local community, peer coaching and mentoring, and growing professional learning networks that extend beyond the school and local district.
A list of 2020–21 Western NC Kenan Fellows, fellowship projects, mentors, and supporters are listed by school district are listed below. Click the link to see the full press release for each Fellow.
Ashe County
Barbara Heufel, a teacher at Mountain View Elementary School will partner with industry experts from the NC Farm Bureau, Ashe County Farm Bureau, and Alleghany County Farm Bureau to engage in real-world experiences related to the Christmas tree industry in North Carolina. Her fellowship was made possible through a partnership between the North Carolina Farm Bureau, the Ashe County Farm Bureau, the Alleghany County Farm Bureau, the Watauga County Farm Bureau, and the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at N.C. State University.
Haywood County
Noal Castater, a career technical education teacher at Waynesville Middle School, will partner with mentors and industry experts at Haywood EMC, based in Waynesville, to explore how power is generated and delivered to members and communities served by the cooperative. His fellowship was made possible through a partnership between Haywood EMC, North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, and the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at N.C. State University.
Polk County
Andrea Walter of Polk Central Elementary School and Leslie Rhinehart of Polk County High School will partner with experts at Eaton and Biltmore Farms to make connections between their classrooms and the local workforce. Over the course of the fellowship, the teachers will develop a deeper understanding of local industries, their workforce needs, and how they can make relevant connections for their students.
Rutherford County
Ashley Twitty, a teacher at Spindale Elementary School, will partner with STEM West to assist them with the Diversity and Equity Asset Mapping Project which seeks to gather information on organizations, industry partners, and resources that can be utilized to improve pathways and access to educators with a focus on creating a more diverse representation in the STEM West service area.
Established in 2000 as an initiative of the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science at N.C. State University, the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership addresses the critical need for high-quality professional development for educators and is the largest (science, technology, engineering, and math) STEM-focused teacher fellowship in North Carolina. The fellowships are made possible through the generous support of the program’s many corporate, education, and foundation partners.
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