I am a teacher. At night I dream about lesson plans…or have nightmares I’m still back in high school, running down empty corridors, trying to find the right classroom. My students give me so much joy. So much. We write poetry together, create business plans, negotiate, read amazing literature, research, and dream.
I am a life-long learner. For fun, I’ll sign up for non-credit classes, vacation at museums, or read dusty old diaries until I sneeze.
I am a traveler. Maps and globes fill me with the possibilities the world holds. On any given trip, you can find me eating where the locals go, riding public transportation, and chatting up random strangers when the opportunity arises.
I am a writer. My career in education led me to Young Adult literature, my colleagues pushed me to write, and my students are my audience. Aside from hanging out with fellow teachers, I love my author and librarian friends.
My father was in the Air Force, so I’ve lived in so many different places. I went to school at two different schools for kindergarden, two for first grade, two second, and two for third! Knowing what it is like to be the new kid in class is something I totally understand. Moving all the time made me resilient, adaptive, and empathetic.
Marjorie Light teaches English at J.D. Clement Early College High School in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Since starting her career in Plattsburgh, New York, she has received several awards, including ECHS 2015 Teacher of the Year and Durham Top Five Finalist Teacher of the Year. Currently, she is working on her project through the NC State Kenan Fellowship for Ply Gem Industries in Cary, NC. Ply Gem specializes in producing energy efficient siding, windows, roofing, and more. As a fellow, Marjorie was placed at the Research and Development site and is exploring how to instill innovation, exploration, and design into the classroom.
Marjorie won a Work-in-Progress Award for her novel from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She was awarded the Go Global NC trip to Germany, Kwame Alexander’s Brazil teacher/writer retreat, and a Duke Energy externship. Her documentary “Northward to Freedom” is featured in a NY Underground Railroad museum. In the fall of 2016, Marjorie will travel to the University of Nottingham, UK, a world top 1% university, to study as part of the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program.
