When I began my journey as a Kenan Fellow at Wright Foods I expected to have a single mentor, John Michel. John Michel was an amazing mentor who provided me with an unforgettable experience- he ensured that I would not only see his position in the company, but I would see each integral part of the plant. I was able to shadow nearly every position in the plant and before too long, the shadowing transitioned into active involvement. With each new position that I learned about at Wright Foods, I also gained a new mentor. The leaders of Wright Foods took me in as one of their own family and provided me with an amazing love and support that truly went beyond the expected “call of duty.” My mentors guided me, offered information not only to all of my questions but additional information that I was not knowledgeable enough at the time to know to ask! They encouraged me to get involved and take an active role each day as I worked with a different member and leader at Wright Foods. John Michel was my official mentor; he was certainly the model mentor, but it was through his example that made it so easy for the other leaders of the company to provide the same level of support and respect during my time with them. Since completing my externship at Wright Foods this summer, John Michel has actually retired. However, true to form, he has graciously agreed to come to speak with my class this December! A gesture that is greatly appreciated! In turn, the other members of Wright Foods have stayed in touch with me as well, and our relationship has become not only a partnership between the school system and industry, a business and a teacher, but a friendship between peers. The partnership that was established beginning in June is one that will last beyond the Kenan Fellowship experience, and will continue in the pursuit to better our students, to encourage them to pursue schooling beyond high school, and to better our community as we promote a heightened since of worth and ability in our next generation.
This experience has been such a blessing to me, and I cannot wait to see which businesses in my area will welcome a Kenan Fellow next! We may be a rural area, but we have some amazing and unique businesses that have so much to offer to our teachers and students!

The Kenan Experience has been such an amazing adventure! With each Professional Development Institute I have gained so much insight, inspiration, and professional support. It is always such a joy to get to interact with such inspirational teachers and leaders that live across North Carolina. After each meeting, I return to my own thoughts and classroom ideas with a renewed vigor and an excitement to experiment, try new things, and reach for the stars. I believe that one of my favorite aspects of our last professional development institute together was the ability to hear about the others’ experiences with their lessons and lesson implementations. We had several conversations about aspects that went well and others that could be improved. This was a much needed time for me to learn about how everyone else was doing, and to really see where my lesson could be improved. This Kenan experience has been so wonderful and educational for me. I struggle to see where I would be as a teacher right now had I not been in this program this year, because this experience truly has shaped me as a young teacher and woman in North Carolina. This Kenan experience has provided me with so much, and I can only hope to provide as much to my students and to promote other teachers throughout my area to pursue this same amazing opportunity.

**This post did not publish last month (not certain why) However,…I’m sure this was due to my mistake and my “pregnancy brain”. My most sincere apologies!! Thank goodness for my saved word doc blog!