RALEIGH, N.C. – On National Teacher Day, the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at N.C. State University is pleased to announce the 26 North Carolina public school educators who have been awarded 2021–22 fellowships. This cohort of K‒12 teachers from across the state were selected from a highly qualified applicant pool of more than 60 educators following a competitive application process.
The educators represent 11 counties across the state from Western to Eastern North Carolina and teach a wide range of grade levels from elementary to high school. The teachers are subject matter experts in a variety of disciplines including science and Career Technical Education (CTE).
“We are excited to once again announce our newest cohort of teachers leaders, and are grateful to the many partners and supporters who make our program possible, particularly after the challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Dr. Elaine Franklin, director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership. “We look forward to seeing how this outstanding group of educators will leverage their fellowships to benefit their students, schools and community.”
This summer, the 2021–22 Kenan Fellows will spend three weeks interning with local experts in agriculture, scientific research, high-tech manufacturing and other STEM fields. As part of the award, Kenan Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend and participate in 80 hours of professional development that focuses on project-based instruction, digital learning, elevating teacher voice and the teaching profession, strengthening ties between the school and the local community, peer coaching and mentoring, and growing professional learning networks that extend beyond the school and local district.
Making these connections are vital, as teachers often do not have the opportunity to engage with the world beyond their classroom. The Kenan Fellows Program provides teachers with the opportunity to work in industry and research settings and supports the translation of their internship experience into an array of instructional resources that are then shared with their schools, districts and communities.
The fellowships are only made possible through the generous support of the program’s corporate, education, government, and foundation partners including: AZP, Biogen Foundation, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Chowan County Farm Bureau, Cornerstone Building Brands, Dogwood Health Trust, Duke Energy, Durham Public Schools, Facebook, Fidelity Investments, Goodnight Educational Foundation, Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science Board of Trustees, Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership Board of Advisors, North Carolina Farm Bureau, NC State University, and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Established in 2000 as an initiative of the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science at N.C. State University, the Kenan Fellows Program addresses the critical need for high-quality professional development for educators, and is the largest (science, technology, engineering and math) STEM-focused teacher fellowship in North Carolina. Today, a highly respected network of more than 500 Kenan Fellows are working to improve STEM education state and nationwide.
The 2021–22 Kenan Fellows, fellowship projects, mentors and supporters are listed by school district below.
CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS
Desmond Blackett
Olympic High School
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher Leadership Cluster
Kacey Grantham and Valerie Secker
of Red Ventures
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
and Duke Energy
LaLeza Harris Yorn
Ashley Park PreK-8 School
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher Leadership Cluster
Fatma Mili, William Tolone, Mary Lou Maher, and Katie Dunn of UNC-Charlotte
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Duke Energy
Brian Harrison
Ranson Middle School
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher Leadership Cluster
Dawn Braswell of Siemens Energy
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
and Duke Energy
Makeda Terry
Olympic High School
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher Leadership Cluster
Andy Rindos of IBM
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
and Duke Energy
Charise Thomas
Albemarle Road Middle School
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teacher Leadership Cluster
Kacey Grantham and Valerie Secker
of Red Ventures
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
and Duke Energy
CHARTER SCHOOL (GASTON)
Katie Moore
Community Public Charter School
Charter School Teacher Leadership Cluster
Craig Tucker of ImplementEd
NC ACCESS GRANT
Christie Stuckey
Community Public Charter School
Charter School Teacher Leadership Cluster
Craig Tucker of ImplementEd
NC ACCESS GRANT
CHARTER SCHOOL (MECKLENBURG)
Vaibhavi ShiledarBaxi
Bonnie Cone Classical Academy
Charter School Teacher Leadership Cluster
Sam Fleming of 100 Gardens and Craig Tucker of ImplementEd
NC ACCESS Grant
Stephanie Timoney
Charter School Teacher Leadership Cluster
Sam Fleming of 100 Gardens and Craig Tucker of ImplementEd
NC ACCESS Grant
CLEVELAND COUNTY SCHOOLS
Beverly Owens
Cleveland Early College High School
Building Sustainability and Community with American Zinc Products
Mia Chapman
American Zinc Products
DAVIDSON COUNTY SCHOOLS
Laurie McKinney
Oak Grove High School
Spurring Innovation in Manufacturing (Welcome)
Garth Harris and Julie Williamson
Cornerstone Building Brands
DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Breanna Autry
Lucas Middle School
Biogen Foundation Teacher Leadership Cluster with Durham Public Schools
Arlan Peters of Novozymes
Biogen Foundation and Durham Public Schools
Sharon Johnson
Northern High School
Biogen Foundation Teacher Leadership Cluster with Durham Public Schools
Ondrea Austin, Amanda Marvelle, and Tracy Ahrens of Biogen
Biogen Foundation and Durham Public Schools
Jean Sciacca
Durham’s Performance Learning Center
Biogen Foundation Teacher Leadership Cluster with Durham Public Schools
Arlan Peters of Novozymes
Biogen Foundation and Durham Public Schools
Kelsie Sommerfeld
CE Jordan High School
Biogen Foundation Teacher Leadership Cluster with Durham Public Schools
Ondrea Austin, Amanda Marvelle, and Tracy Ahrens of Biogen
Biogen Foundation and Durham Public Schools
Abigail Thompson
Northern High School
Biogen Foundation Teacher Leadership Cluster with Durham Public Schools
Betty Brown and Dr. Carla Oldham of NC Central University
Biogen Foundation and Durham Public Schools
Yetta Williams
Spring Valley Elementary School
Diversity in Leadership
Alfred Mays of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Julie Pittman of the NC Dept. of Education
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
EDENTON-CHOWAN SCHOOLS
LeAnn Nixon
White Oak Elementary School
North Carolina Peanuts
Michele Smoot, Heather Willoughby, Megan Shoaf, and Lendy Johnson
North Carolina Farm Bureau and
the Chowan County Farm Bureau
GASTON COUNTY SCHOOLS
Vanessa Hairston
North Belmont Elementary School
Spurring Innovation in Manufacturing (Gaffney)
Ginger Cone, Mike Humphreys, Shane Alfonse, and Tony Rogowski
Cornerstone Building Brands
MCDOWELL COUNTY SCHOOLS
Renata Crawley
West Marion Elementray School
Facebook Western NC
Melissa Douglas of Coats North America
Facebook
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF ROBESON COUNTY
Susan Miller-Hendrix
Public Schools of Robeson County
Burroughs Wellcome Fund and STEM SENC Diversity and Equity Asset Mapping Project
Heddy Clark of UNC-Wilmington and Alfred Mays of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
RUTHERFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS
Jill Francis
Chase High School
Facebook Western NC
Carol Steen of Biltmore Farms
Facebook
PENDER COUNTY SCHOOLS
Jared Pinkston
Pender High School
Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science Board of Trustees and Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership Board of Advisors with GE Aviation
Anthony Parnell and Amanda Koehler
of GE Aviation
Kenan Institute for ETS BOT and KFP for Teacher Leadership BOA
WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
Tiffanni Craig
Holly Springs High School
The Magnificant Cell: Star of the Show
Dr. Paul Maddox
UNC-Chapel Hill
Nathaniel Myers III
Wakefield Middle School
Welcome, Know, and Help Serve with Fidelity Investments
Terry Matias, Leslie Walden, and Jamal Stockton
Fidelity Investments
Robyn Stanek
Wakefield High School
Memories and Fruit Flies
Dr. Toshihide Hige
UNC-Chapel Hill