In January, I received an email from my friend, Kim Collazo, asking me if I would be interested in applying to be a Kenan Fellow. As a Kenan Fellow, Kim was contacted about two Fellowships available only to Moore County teachers, and she immediately forwarded that email to me, and I’m forever grateful that she did. Kim shared her experiences as a Kenan Fellow, and how this opportunity has had such a positive impact on her life, both personally and professionally. After hearing Kim describe her Kenan Fellows experience, I knew that this was something I wanted to do.
For this Fellowship, Ashley Luersman and I will be participating in a 3 year project that is a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills. The first year will be a traditional Kenan Fellowship with an internship in a local industry. In July, I will be doing my internship at Accelerated Technology Laboratories, and Ashley will be at St. Joseph’s of the Pines.
Using our experiences gained from our internships, Ashley and I will create STEM resources for the Boys and Girls Club for middle school students. Next year, we will work with the club staff to co-teach the lessons that we create.
During the third year, we will work more as consultants to the club staff as they begin implementing the STEM curriculum on their own.
While I’m not sure what to expect over the next three years, I am certain that the experiences as I gain as a Kenan Fellow will allow me to grow on both a professional and personal level, and I’m so glad that I get to do it with my colleague and friend, Ashley! Here’s to the next three years!
-Carrie