As our week at NCCAT draws to a close I am overwhelmed will all the new friends and information I’ve gained throughout the week. The highlight of this week has definitely been the resources I’ve learned about through the professional development. I have so many games and web tools that I can’t wait to use in my classroom. I also really loved learning more about the ecology and culture of the river! I’ve been rafting before but never with such knowledgeable guides and teachers. Overall, it was an amazing week and I’m so excited to take my new resources and enthusiasm home!

To be really honest, I have been so excited and overwhelmed by being chosen as a Kenan Fellow that I haven’t given a lot of thought to what I want out of this experience. I know that there are so many wonderful opportunities and I have already learned so much from my mentor. In just two weeks with my mentor and two days of NCCAT I have gained more than I could have imagined. So wrapping my head around what more I could want is a little challenging.

The first thing I’d like to gain from this experience is relationships. Until yesterday, I didn’t even know what the BRAC region was, much less that I was a part of it. Now that I’m aware, I am encouraged that there are other teachers in my area working toward the same goals I am, just in different ways. I hope that through this experience I can build relationships with those teachers and that we can become resources for one another. I also hope to continue to grow my relationship with my mentor. She is such a wealth of knowledge and I have learned so much from her already. I hope that we can build a relationship that continues even after my externship has finished.

I’d also like to (continue to) gain content knowledge related to alternative energies in my county. This is absolutely a growing industry that needs my students and I want the knowledge and experience to inspire and encourage them to become a part of this industry. The little bit I have learned so far has been just enough to get me excited about all the possibilities! I have the enthusiasm! Now I just want to keep learning more.

Finally, what all of this boils down to, is that I hope to gain experiences from the Kenan Fellowship that will ultimately help me to become a better teacher. I was super intimidated coming into NCCAT because I know that Kenan Fellows have a reputation for being the best and the brightest! There is such a wealth of experience and knowledge and creativity within the program and I hope that during my year of service as a Kenan Fellow that I can glean as much as possible, and take every opportunity I can to grow and learn and improve.