Personal Branding is something I had never heard of but it allowed me to reach out to former students, colleagues, and co-workers to find out how they describe me both personally and professionally. I reviewed these and did some soul searching as I did not feel like I was truly worthy to be called a Kenan Fellow. However, as I continued to work on my personal branding I realized that I am Passionately Empowering Learners. I would never claim to be the best but I feel that my passion shows as this word was listed several times and the fact that students stated that I empowered them to be better people and encouraged them to be life-long learners. As I read each statement I realized that even though I feel that I may not be worthy, I have had a lasting impact on students and colleagues and for this reflection, I am eternally grateful.
This has been one of the most satisfying professional development opportunities I have ever attended. I feel that I became inspired as I met with other teacher leaders across the state. I realize that my impact can be far-reaching through listening to the stories from other Kenan fellows past and present. Everything we did provided insight into teaching and learning. I cannot wait to take this information and use it on a day-to-day basis in and out of the classroom. Not only do I have the opportunity to impact students in the classroom but to also impact teachers across our district as we all work to improve student outcomes.