Since August 2012, I have been teaching at Helena Elementary School in Person County as a fifth grade teacher. I find it hard to believe that I have already taught for three years but you know what they say… time flies when you’re having fun.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education with a minor in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During my second year of teaching I also participated in an add-on licensure program for gifted education at the enemy aka Duke University. I currently hold licenses in K-6 Elementary Education and K-12 Gifted Education.

During my time at Helena I have served on the curriculum development team for my district, received multiple grants to support literacy in science and social studies, served on the intervention support team, and started an after-school robotics club. I have also facilitated professional development on growth mindset and the HomeBase/PowerSchool system. I have attended NCCAT sessions, state conferences, and an NEH seminar.

My particular areas of interest are STEM education, growth mindset, differentiation, equity, and gifted education. Really though, I love having conversations with anyone about all things education. I am also interested in learning more about PBL, infographic creation, policy, and technology.

I found my way to Kenan Fellows after participating the Roxboro Chamber of Commerce Person County Leadership program. In this program, I had the opportunity to learn more about how my community functions and take time to visit various industries and spaces in our county. After three full days touring facilities and thinking about classroom applications, I was hungry for more! I am excited to spend my summer connecting my classroom with Bayer CropScience. I’ll be completing my fellowship with Stacey Guerrero. Together, we will design curriculum aligned with our CropScience experiences and North Carolina essential standards to promote Bayer CropScience employee volunteerism. More than anything, I’m looking forward to learning, developing community with like-minded professionals, and having an experience in a real-world setting.