Yetta Williams's Blog

I would like to fully engage and collaborate with teachers who’s focus is agriculture, food cultivation and community building. I feel my project will be successful with as many collaborative opportunities as I can.

THE ABSOLUTE HIGHLIGHT of my week. I know that this was the perfect fellowship timing for me and I am SOOOOOO grateful for meeting the staff and all the amazing partnerships. I feel like EVERYTHING I have been wanting to relearn and cultivate is right in this very room.

You are creating a product that transfers your internship experience into resources for the industry partner or for your students/school/community. Please describe the challenges and successes you are experiencing.
1.The most challenging experience is getting all the supplies I need in the most timely manner.
2. Meeting with all the members that I will need help with and before the school year begins.
3. Calling additional partners for their help.

I actually believe I will continue to build partnerships and keep collaborating with as many people in this cohort and on staff than other PDs. I find I want to cultivate as many partnerships as I can, but I’ve not ever followed through. I am purposefully going to work on keeping in contact with all these amazing people.  I will use this experience to make my classroom a STREAM/STEAM class where science, technology, reading, engineering, art and math are fully immersed in everything the children do to inspire their growth in learning in ALL areas.  I believe each and every child will find their genius through this experience.

Welcome to Kenan Fellows Program Blogs.

My Name is Yetta Williams. I currently live in Durham, NC.  I currently teach at Spring Valley Elementary school and am a 4th Grade Math & Science teacher.  I was accepted into the Kenan Fellows Diversity in Leadership fellowship.  I have the pleasure of working with 3 amazing Institutions.  The NC No Kid Hungry organization which includes the DPI child nutrition collaboration with Mrs. Julie Pittman is the way I am going to target eliminating “food deserts”.   With and through this collaboration I have been able to meet with local and national partners to discuss the strengths of programs locally and nationally that support child hunger and nutrition.  The next group is VOW (Village of Wisdom) partnering with Mr. William Jackson (Founder and Burroughs Wellcome Fund recipient).   I worked and am currently working with the staff on 1.  Racial Identity through Interest surveys 2.  Can Do Attitude 3.  Social Justice  4. Global inclusion and empowerment.  We worked on using interest surveys and logs filled out by both parents and students to create a collaborative learning experience through enriching the local and state mandated curriculum.  The final partner is the Burroughs Wellcome Fund with Mr. Alfred Mays.  This partnership introduced me to all the funding, leveraging and goals of the institution locally, nationally and internationally as well as the WHY of supporting students through STEM innovation.  I have used local DPS (Durham Public Schools) professional development to support the main goal of eliminating food deserts and providing nutrition and clean water to students and families.