I will have to say the highlight of my week at NCCAT was the white water rafting trip. Being ejected from the raft into the cold waters of the Nantahala River was quite a shock! At one point I really thought I was drowning. But this experience taught me a valuable lesson. 

When I was rescued, I was deposited on the wrong side of the river and had to walk about a half mile to a bridge to rejoin the Kenan group. Walking was difficult since I had lost a shoe in the river. When I met up with some of the teachers their concern and reassurances that I was safe were very comforting. But when Renee offered me her shoes so that I could walk to the bus to retrieve my dry clothes, I knew I was counted among some very special teachers.

As I reflected on this week at NCCAT and the different sessions we attended, I found that my feelings about this fellowship and all that it entails is much like my drowning experience. Although I am scared and feel overwhelmed, I am amongst some of the most amazing people that will help me through. And they will see that I survive!

Hi! My name is Kimberly Forbes. I am a Technology Engineering Design Teacher at Ferndale Middle School in High Point, NC. I have been teaching for 8 years. Teaching is my second career. In my former life I worked as an Operations Manager for startup banks. I always wanted to teach but couldn’t because I didn’t have a degree. I received my BS in 2003 from Guilford College and so my teaching career began. It is my true passion!

I  am married and have 3 grown children. I am the proud grandmother of 4 – 1 girl and 3 boys. When I am not teaching or playing with grandchildren, I love to read, cook and garden.

I was very honored to be invited to the ribbon cutting of the Lenovo plant in Whitsett, NC on June 5, 2013. To see history in the making was pretty spectacular! The most amazing moment was when the Hayes-Taylor YMCA of Greensboro received new computers for their facility.You can see the boxes with the big red bow.  What an impact this will have on young people’s lives. Oh, and the image on the cake was so cool and it was delicious.

I am so honored to be selected as a 2013 Kenan Fellow! I so am excited to begin my journey.

What interests me about the fellowship is that I will be able to design my own STEM project. I would like to take aspects of some of the projects I have completed with my students in the past and create new and exciting hands-on lessons.  I am particularly interested in creating a project that focuses on aerial robotics. I currently teach middle school Technology Engineering and Design. Within my classes I have taught various land robotics to include First LEGO League and VEX Robotics. I have taught the underwater robotics with the SeaPerch and Waterbotics programs. I have also taught robotics and rocketry through the NASA Explorer Schools. I believe my past experience is a nice segue into aerial robotics. I believe it would be an excellent project to incorporate all aspects of STEM while giving students a unique experience.

So, I invite you along this journey with me as I explore the rewards and challenges of creating new exciting curriculum in the world of robotics.