RALEIGH, N.C. – Five Eastern NC educators have been named 2022-23 Kenan Fellows. Their fellowships were made possible through a collaboration between the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the #IamCS movement, and the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at N.C. State University.
The teachers are part of the 2022-23 Kenan Fellows cohort, and their fellowship projects will be to advance STEM education and build a Northeastern NC based ecosystem of teacher leaders that will support career and workforce development in the computer science fields. As part of the fellowships, the educators will be immersed with statewide and local industry partners including Red Hat and TCOM, L.P., and will receive customized professional development in computer science and computational thinking specific to the Northeastern part of the state.
“We are proud to partner with the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership to elevate exemplary leadership and critical resources around the support and implementation of the new NC Computer Science standards in the Northeastern region of our state,” said Dr. Mary Hemphill-Joseph, director of NC DPI’s Division of Academic Standards. “Each regional ecosystem in North Carolina presents its own unique set of celebrations and challenges and ensures that we build and support Computer Science learning systems that speak specifically to these realities.”
Anita Rubino-Thomas 
Ryan Miller 
Lindsay Stalls 
William Tyson 
Jennifer Lilly
The fellowships were made possible through a grant from NC DPI. The educators are listed below.
- Jennifer Lilly, Camden County High School & Camden Early College High School, Camden County Schools
- Ryan Miller, Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies, charter school in Elizabeth City
- Anita Rubino-Thomas, Currituck County High School, Currituck County Schools
- Lindsey Stalls, Eastern Elementary School, Pitt County Schools
- William Tyson, Washington High School, Beaufort County Schools
Kenan fellowships are awarded through a competitive application process. As part of the fellowship, the educators will earn a $5,000 stipend, spend three weeks interning in local industries, and attend a series of professional learning institutes focused on project-based learning, digital learning, and leadership development. Teachers remain in the classroom while completing the yearlong fellowship. Educators who complete the program say they feel a deeper connection to their community and grow professionally as part of a statewide network of teacher leaders. As their leadership skills grow, Kenan Fellows lead pro-actively within their schools and districts. Many become empowered to influence and lead educational innovation at state and national levels.
“Thanks to the support of NC DPI, we are able to reach educators in traditionally underserved areas of the state and provide them with insights into the skills students need to succeed in college and careers,” said Dr. Elaine Franklin, director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership.