I don’t even know where to begin with how I have felt about the Kenan Fellow’s Professional Development. I’m sure it’s quite different for me since I am new to teaching as well. I was nearing the end of my first year teaching when I received my letter saying I was chosen to participate in the Kenan Fellows program. My life will truly never be the same.

At our first PD, I was like a kid in a candy store. Many would have felt they were in information overload but all I could do was see the vast potential of exciting programs that could be brought into not only my classroom, but the rooms of many other teachers around me. Some things would not apply to my kindergarten classroom, but boy were there some fascinating tools that upper grades would benefit from and I was more than eager to share.

Our second PD was wonderful because we gained more insight into how our project would be shaped and molded into exciting lessons for ourselves and others. Then on my selfish note, my own two children were able to experience the NCSU campus and the Hunt Library. I saw a light in my children’s eyes that had them on fire for college and engineering. That is when it really hit me that I was going to have an opportunity to share this with the children in my classroom.

Before our last PD I was feeling defeated in so many areas in teaching. It has been a year of transitions in my school and disappointments within our state. However, as soon as I was surrounded by the wonderful group of educators and staff of Kenan Fellows my entire outlook changed. I left feeling empowered and motivated. Being able to listen to our guest speakers and collaborate with other teachers in the program lit the spark in my life that was slowly beginning to dim. I wish every educator was able to have this experience. More than that, I wish every educator wanted to experience it for themselves.

I am thankful every day that God allowed me to research more into this program when the initial email came out from my county. I am thankful that the interview committee saw something in me and took a chance on a kindergarten teacher to introduce engineering to five and six year olds. I am mostly thankful for the wonderful experiences this program has given me and the amazing friendships (and accountability partner) I have gained.