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Internship Experience
During the challenges of 2020 and COVID 19, my internship was challenging. Finally in the fall, I began visiting a few farms in Ashe County. I also had the opportunity to visit the Fraser Fir Seed Production Area at Grayson Highlands State Park in Mouth of Wilson, VA. In this orchard, there are 600 Fraser Fir trees in a fenced area managed by growers in the local area. This includes growers from Ashe and Alleghany counties. I learned that the Fraser Fir is native only to the highest elevations of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. It makes a perfect Christmas tree due to its beauty and needle retention.
As my internship moved forward, I visited farms that specialized in nursery, landscaping, and retail markets. The evergreen trees were in different stages of growth and production.
Eventually, I was invited to visit farms in the eastern part of NC where I was surprised by the beauty of the Leyland Spruce and Green Giant varieties of Christmas trees. I told one farmer that as a mountain girl I would always be partial to the Fraser Fir, but he could almost sway me to the Leyland Spruce. They were gorgeous!
Fraser Firs are still the most popular Christmas tree in NC with a representation of 99% of all species grown in NC.
Not Your Traditional Camp
- As a Kenan Fellow, I knew that I would be involved in several different experiences that would grow and expand me both professionally and personally. But, never did I envision as one of those experiences, attending camp. Not since Girls Scout have I been camping. So, I didn't really know what to expect when I signed up for the November 9, 2020 Kenan Fellows 2020 - 2021 Honey Camp which was lead by Bee Downtown.
For me, Honey Camp was bee-yond my wildest imagination. First, I was selected as honored camper, which meant that I received some extra goodies (Yeah!). Second, Honey Camp introduced me to the world of honey. Sure, I understood honey comes from bees and flowers, but I learned so much more. And third, I didn't realize honey could take me back to some of my fondest childhood memories.
So what is this Honey Camp that I speak so highly of... well I can only imagine it is the honey equivalent of a wine or cheese tasting. (I don't drink and cheese isn't a big fan of me, so I have never participated in either of the latter two.) My fellow honey campers and I learned everything from how to smell, color characterize , and assess the look, flavor and mouthfeel. In the end, we used this information to decipher the honeys we tasted. One amber colored honey with intense smell and flavor transported me to my maternal grandparents' farm where we spent Thanksgivings and Christmases when I was growing up. I vividly recalled sitting near the fireplace reading the Bible (which I could barely read) to my grandfather while listening to my siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles laughing and talking in the kitchen, sitting on the porch or playing in the yard.
Yes, I enjoyed my experience. And, it was the perfect reprieve to a week which would be filled with lesson planning, online teaching, parent and student meetings, Lego competition preparation and participation as well as everything else that comes with teaching virtually in this COVID-19 new normal. Thanks to everyone at Kenan Fellows involved in planning this awesome experience. I will remember it always.
- As a Kenan Fellow, I knew that I would be involved in several different experiences that would grow and expand me both professionally and personally. But, never did I envision as one of those experiences, attending camp. Not since Girls Scout have I been camping. So, I didn't really know what to expect when I signed up for the November 9, 2020 Kenan Fellows 2020 - 2021 Honey Camp which was lead by Bee Downtown.
Donate
Support Future Leaders
Opportunities for Your Support
Support Innovation in Education
$5,000 or $10,000 supports education innovations in a variety of areas including alumni projects with local school districts, blended learning professional development, and creation of virtual education resources.
Support a Full Fellowship
$20,000 sponsors a teacher fellowship for one year. You will collaborate with the program to create an internship and curricular project for your Fellow that best translates your unique STEM priorities or opportunities into scalable classroom applications and project-based lessons.
Endowment Opportunities
Endowments give donors opportunities to create living legacies. By investing in the Kenan Fellows Program, you can help build meaningful partnerships between leaders in education and industry that will have a lasting impact on K-12 students and their communities.
Donors can invest in an endowment at any level not only those listed here. Endowment gifts may be pledged over a number of years and funded through cash gifts or planned or deferred gifts.
Endowed Gold Level Sponsor
$25,000 to $50,000 supports education innovations in alumni leadership development and virtual learning for Fellows. Gifts could also support typical Fellowship costs.
Endowed Distinguished Learning Partner
$100,000 supports the long term sustainability of the program. Gifts will impact quality professional learning at Summer and Fall Institutes and opportunities to support project-based learning implementation strategies.
Endowed Lifetime Kenan Fellow
$200,000 or more provides a new Kenan fellowship yearly. The donor has naming rights on the fellowship opportunity and input on the theme and location of the fellowship.
Recognition
Recognition includes a press release announcing you or your organization’s Fellow, highlights in varying publications, such as social media, online campaigns, e-newsletters, and print brochures. Donors receive annual invitations to the Fellows showcase (fall) and graduation celebration (spring).
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“The Kenan Fellows Program provides a life-changing, long-term impact for both teachers and their students. Facebook is proud to support teachers so that their students can be college and career-ready.”
Katie Comer, Community Development Regional Manager, Facebook.
Stories of Impact
https://kenanfellows.org/2020/09/02/kenan-fellows-partner-with-charlotte-nonprofit-to-bring-aquaponics-curriculum-to-middle-school-students/
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_0e95eb94-ed43-11ea-b9ce-a7cffb3d79a5.html?fbclid=IwAR2oRICsVyolZ-VawqvUzlJZIYjuUbF6ekesTgVegZngFgqmIBR57jQUIRk
New Opportunities, New Beginnings, but Not the Same Old Teacher
As I sit back and reflect on my time as a teacher over the past four years, I see some major changes. The main change has been the closer relationships that I have been able to build with my students. This has allowed me to gain more insight into their lives, and one way I have been able to do this is by sharing the new industry knowledge and experience that I gained during my internship at TEAM Industries as part of my 2019-20 Kenan Fellowship this summer.
I learned so much during my three weeks at TEAM from seeing first-hand the creation of boat motors to being in the room when tough upper-management decisions were being made. I can now let my students know that they have some exciting career options in the region if they are willing to work on building the right skills such as time management, persistence and problem-solving. Too often I see students who possess the “I have already given up on life and I am only 15 years old” mentality, but by opening their eyes to what is available around them, I have begun to see some lasting changes.
Before I became a Kenan Fellow, I knew the program gave teachers the opportunity to network and develop their overall understanding of local industries. That is a great opportunity for any educator in any part of the state, but especially in small communities like mine where building stronger ties between schools and businesses is critical to bolstering the economy and developing the local workforce. That being said this makes me VERY excited to see how long I can “ride this wave” and make a positive impact in my tiny, Appalachian community.
Austin Hedden, a WNC STEMwork Kenan Fellow, teaches math and science at Hayesville High School in Clay County Schools. His 2019-20 fellowship is supported by a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Orange County Educator Creates Hands-on Lessons to Connect Middle Schoolers with Principles of Scientific Thinking
HILLSBOROUGH — Inspired by his internship at LORD Corporation, GSK Kenan STEM Fellow Daniel Thayer designed and implemented an interactive lab for the eighth-grade curriculum that uses polymer science to explore chemical and physical reactions.
Thayer, an AIG specialist with Orange County Schools, spent three weeks this summer learning about various adhesives, gap fillers and their components in a lab at LORD as part of his 2019-20 Kenan fellowship. Following this experience, he developed a series of lessons that encourage students to explore chemical and physical changes.
Working in small groups, students make slime and experiment to see which component of the mixture is causing it to be the wrong consistency. The students must test different variables of the mixture and document their observations. The slime project teaches students about chemical change. Students also explored physical changes using an experiment with a non-newtonian fluid (oobleck). A goal of each of the lessons is to introduce students to the principles of scientific thinking, experimental design, and help them better develop problem-solving skills.
Nearly, 200 eighth grade students participated in the lessons during the first week of October. The project was implemented along with the science team at C.W. Stanford Middle School in Hillsborough. As part of the project, Kraig Turner, Thayer’s mentor at LORD, spoke with students about polymer science.
“Through this experience, my understanding of chemical processes has grown astronomically, and I now have a basic knowledge of polymer science, which I am passing on to the students that I work with,” Thayer said. “The hands-on internship was one of the most important parts of this fellowship.”
Thayer is one of five 2019-20 Kenan Fellows who are supported by GSK. The GSK Kenan STEM Fellows, as they are known, are all Triangle area educators who are working to drive innovations in STEM education and help students embrace work-based applications in math and science.
Not for me, for my students
John Kurzawa is a 2018-2019 Kenan Fellow, who teaches English Language Arts at Kennedy Middle School in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. His fellowship is sponsored by CMS and the Belk Foundation
As my year as a 2018-19 Kenan Fellow draws to an end, I cannot help but reflect on what I have learned, what I have done, and what I will continue to do for the rest of my career. After spending three weeks at Livingston & Haven, a Charlotte company that primarily works with hydraulics, automation, and engineering, one may ask how the knowledge and insight I gained might be applicable to a middle-school English Language Arts classroom. At first, I will admit that I wasn’t sure myself.
However, as I began to speak to employees — from the CEO to salespeople, to engineers and workers in assembly — I realized how important communication was at all levels of the organization. Not only was communication essential for the business aspect (in my first day, during my first hour, I sat in on a conference call to Ghana), but also for the safety of employees. On the manufacturing floor, everyone had to communicate in a succinct, accurate fashion to ensure that no one is hurt. It is crucial for people to speak and write well, but also, and this is often forgotten — to LISTEN well.
So, how did this apply to my students?
Since day one of the 2018-2019 school year, I have taught my students the importance of confident, articulate speech, as well as the ability to listen to others. If students are giving a group presentation, I make sure that the rest of the class is listening, and taking notes and asking questions. I have worked to boost their confidence and poise in public speaking by asking them present in front of the class. With the exception of a few stragglers, my students are less afraid to speak in front of the class, and if they still are hesitant, they are willing to share their concerns with me, and receive some coaching to maybe try again next time.
At the end of March, I will be chaperoning a field trip to Livingston & Haven with a group of STEM students from Kennedy Middle School. The trip will focus on STEM topics, but I will ask our hosts to share with students how important effective communication is in the workplace as it will be integral to their success no matter what field they enter. For my final fellowship project, I am designing a unit on effective communication in the classroom. Students will be introduced to the importance of oral, written, and remote communication, all of which involve the art of listening. We cannot forget how important it is to teach students to listen
“My head is still swimming with everything I have gleaned from this fellowship. This experience has been invaluable. Our students may one day have an enormous impact in the STEM world, but how great will their work be if they are unable to communicate the results to the rest of the world?”
Kenan Fellows Voices: Amanda Clapp
I started my internship at TekTone not knowing what to expect. Three weeks later, I understand the engineering design, prototyping, production, sales and marketing of electronic products. TekTone develops, produces, and sells intercom and nurse call products for use in hospitals, assisted living, and nursing homes.
They are a small, family-owned company and employ about 100 people. The diversity of interests, education, and skills really hit me– as well as the similarities. In spite of peoples’ backgrounds, there are two job skills that are necessary for every department: the ability to communicate well and the willingness to learn on the job.
My experience at TekTone has taught me two major things: First, building community in a business is important in terms of retaining people and ensuring a good product. Second, manufacturing companies seek to hire people who are adaptable and can communicate effectively. These two lessons tie in with my classroom goals, and I think it’s so important to make the connections between school and the rest of our lives- the things we establish as values in education are also valid in companies with adults!
The community at TekTone is warm and well-connected; people working in production know and talk to people working in engineering, and the conversations help improve the feeling of agency as well as the product. The sales and tech support teams talk with engineers in production and in development so they can train the end-users in the products. The amount of communication between people and between departments supports the mission of the company.
It has been a pleasure to work at TekTone this summer; the employees have been gracious, showing me what they do and allowing me to join in. I have learned so much about research and development, as well as manufacturing and sales processes, and this insight is so important to share with my students as they prepare for adulthood.
Amanda Clapp is a 2019-20 Kenan Fellows. She teaches at The Catamount School, which part of Western Carolina University and Jackson County Schools. Her fellowship is supported by a grant from the Appalachian Resource Commission.
Kenan Fellows Voices: Annah Riedel
Fourth-graders in Annah Riedel's class present their prototypes to NC State biomedical engineering students.
Ever since I was 9 years old, I wanted to be a teacher. The more life I experienced only reinforced that teaching was/is the perfect fit for me.
All of the courses I took prepared me to understand best teaching practices and build a strong philosophy on what learning should look like and feel like in the classroom. And while I firmly believe that NC State has an INCREDIBLE teaching program, I also know that I only briefly explored concepts of engineering and science. I didn’t deeply plunge into any topic in particular. I was on the path to become a teacher and everything I did and saw was from that lens. I didn’t understand how exposure to different concepts would be beneficial to me as an educator.
GAINING A BROADER PERSPECTIVE
It is not to say that I went through school thinking none of what I was learning had add-value. It’s just the WHY wasn’t made clear to me. I learned curriculum and content, but I didn’t understand the interconnectedness between what I was learning and how it translated to the real world and for that matter into my future classroom.
Between my four years of teaching at Exploris, a little more life experience, and the Kenan Fellows Program, I have learned that there is a lot of value in having a broad knowledge base. Exposure to different concepts only creates a more holistic view of the world and contributes to implementing meaningful curriculum in the classroom. Because school for me was taught through a lens of becoming a teacher and only really needing to know what a teacher does, I didn’t get a picture of what it must be like to work in different fields of industry.
By interning at CAT (Caterpillar) this summer, I now understand how to go about addressing the WHY. I know that creating opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in a meaningful context is so important. My hope for my current and future students is that they will someday be able to say things like, “We learned about geometry as part of engineering drawings and we still use that today.” Or, “We learned about nutrition when we volunteered at the Camden Learning Garden and discovered ways to increase access to healthy foods for our local community.”
ADDRESSING THE 'WHY'
I want the WHY to be clear. Why do I show up for work? Relationships. Why did I spend a summer with CAT? To become more innovative.
Prior to this summer, I had no experience working in industry, driving machines, being in shipload meetings, meeting with a Vice President, talking to folks in marketing, or talking about how to improve a design to better serve a customer. All of this was NEW! I didn’t take business classes, or know about welding. These are only things I had heard of but didn’t “know” about. I didn’t understand the value of each of these jobs and how they contribute to making a more beautiful and productive world.
It is hard to address the WHY without meaningful experiences like the one I had this summer. We need teachers who understand best practice and the philosophy behind what a classroom should look and feel like depending on the content area. But we also need teachers with a broader view and understanding of the world that they are preparing kids to go out and be a part of.
In addition to broadening my perspective, being a Kenan Fellow has empowered me to be more assertive. Not in a demanding or aggressive way, but in a way that makes my messaging clear and helps me present it with a vision. Being part of the Kenan Fellow brand has helped me believe in my own message. It has empowered me by seeing myself as a teacher who has a voice that is worthy of being heard.
EMPOWERING TEACHER VOICE
The way I see it, I do not do things for recognition, or awards, or prizes. In fact, I shocked myself by even applying to become a Kenan Fellow. It’s important that others do not see this as an opportunity for me to gloat or seek praise that I am not worthy of. Rather, I hope to continue to build relationships with teachers in my school and my community and encourage them to try new things alongside me.
I also want to empower teachers who maybe don’t share in the Kenan Fellow name to know that they too have a voice worthy of being heard. Because we spend our souls on loving and supporting our students we truly are the experts in our classrooms. However, this does not mean we are experts in every field. Which is why I have worked hard this year to create partnerships with community members who can add a new perspective to my teaching approach and expose my students to new ideas. I believe other teachers can do this too!
I believe in myself in a whole new way and I hope by sharing some of what I’ve been doing with my students this year I will inspire another teacher to try something new.
About Annah’s Project
As part of their fellowship, Kenan Fellows design and implement a project in their schools and or communities. The following is a description of Annah’s project.
In partnership with a group of Biomedical Engineering students at NC State, Annah designed a fourth-grade curriculum project that integrates North Carolina history, engineering, and technology. As part of the project, fourth-grade students developed a solution to a real-world problem. They identified their market and created a basic business plan for their product. Working alongside the Biomedical Engineering students at NC State, who served as mentors, the fourth-graders learned how to pitch their products, as well as, design 2D engineering drawings and create 3D prototypes. The fourth-graders then presented their designs to their mentors who provided feedback.
Annah Riedel is a 2018-19 GSK Kenan STEM Fellow. She teaches fourth grade at Exploris, a charter school in Raleigh.
Kenan Fellows Voices: Anthony Nesbit
NEW BERN — It has been said that teachers are preparing students for careers that do not yet exist. I believe this to be true.
In our rapidly changing society, many of the careers that we know of today will most likely not exist in 10 years. In addition, those that do, may be performed differently. The only careers that are safe from automation will be ones that rely heavily on critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity — known as: the “Four Cs of 21st Century Learning.”
The three weeks that I spent — at the Fleet Readiness Center East at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point — observing how engineers communicate and approach problems inspired me to create lessons based on “real world” applications and solutions. I am designing a series of lessons and activities that will challenge my English as a Second Language students to tackle a real problem, research it, and report their findings to a real audience.
My English learners will investigate the effects of zero-gravity on the germination of tomato plants. The students will then design a container to house tomato seeds and collect data on how the seeds germinate. Because of the connections I have made through the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership, I will use resources provided by the Fleet Readiness Center’s Fab Lab. Inside the lab, students will be able to use 3-D printers and laser cutters to design and assemble their planters.
In addition to learning how to use the engineering design process, students will improve their language and communications skills through group discussions about their scientific observations. The project will culminate with a STEM career night in which students will present the results of their experiments to parents and members of the community. Engineers and representatives from the Fleet Readiness Center will be in attendance as well to provide information about STEM careers.
This opportunity has made me more aware of STEM career opportunities in our community and I am excited about all of the ways I am now able to inform students. I have made so many new connections and have networked with experts who can help me to incorporate authentic STEM activities into my classrooms.
The internship combined with the Kenan Fellows Program Summer and Fall Institutes have taught me so much from project-based learning to culturally-responsive teaching. At first, I felt like it was just too much. Then, I thought of the river, we visited as part of the Summer Institute, and how the moving water increases the dissolved oxygen of the stream so life can happen. I began to feel like a rock in the stream with water gently flowing over and around it.
The information I have received through this program has flowed endlessly over and around me. But, as I reflect on my experience, ideas have emerged about how I can incorporate all of these new strategies into my lessons and in my classes. This experience has changed me and challenged my thinking. From now on, I will add as much “dissolved oxygen” as possible to my lessons so that “new life” will continue to happen.
Anthony Nesbit, a 2018-19 Kenan Fellow, is an English as a Second Language Teacher with Craven County Schools. His fellowship is supported by the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science Board of Trustees and Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership Board of Advisors.
Kenan Fellows Voices: Learning Never Stops
CHARLOTTE — Walking into my internship with Hyde Park Partners, Inc., I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I knew there would be some nerves, lots of questions, and much to learn.
On my first day, I met with staff members at Human Resources to understand the company’s culture, values, mission, and goals. Later, I met the CEO Clifton Vann and was able to sit in on a conference call where I observed high-level employees brainstorm about a new project with their international colleagues. It was fascinating to see how they broke through language barriers and navigated around cultural differences in order to work toward a common goal. Seeing this in practice gave me a better understanding of how the ability to adapt your communication style to different audiences should be a crucial piece of our curriculum when teaching persuasive writing as well as verbal communication skills.
Throughout my time at Hyde Park Partners, I had the opportunity to meet with a wide range of employees and was introduced to a variety of experts. I sat with a product specialist whose knowledge of hydraulics was beyond the realm of what I thought to be possible. I was given a crash course on the manufacturing side of the business. I had the privilege of riding along with one of the outside sales representatives and traveled to seven different local businesses where I once again witnessed first-hand the importance of having strong communications and interpersonal skills.
This experience has reaffirmed my belief that teachers (and students) should step outside of their “comfort zones” to learn new skills. As teachers, we have our content areas in which we are knowledgeable and are able to talk confidently to our students. However, it is essential that we are able to expand our minds, and our boundaries, so that we are able to educate our students in a well-rounded fashion.
Now that my internship has come to an end, I find myself deep in reflection as to how I can help my students to succeed not only in the classroom but in the outside world. Inspired by my internship, I have identified four goals for the upcoming school year that I feel will help to set up my students for success and I cannot wait to get started.
Communication
Help students to be better communicators not only in writing but also through oral and visual communication. Can my students effectively get a point across with little room for error?
Increased Literacy through Nonfiction
Can my students effectively read and comprehend a piece of nonfiction? Can they write an effective email, or quickly read one while gleaming all of the necessary information?
STEM Night
Plan a STEM Night event where parents and students can be told of the importance of communication in STEM education and careers.
Trade School
Sure, all students should be encouraged to attend college, but options should be presented for students who would prefer to have a hands-on career. I was able to learn from many individuals working in the trade who are making significant incomes.
In the end, it all comes down to helping students build resilience and strong communications skills. We must remind them as often as possible, that when something (an experiment or an assignment) does not go as planned, it is important to step back, look at what happened, dust oneself off, and try, try again. When our students begin to learn the art of communication and combine it with a dash of good old-fashioned tenacity, there is no telling how far they can go.
John Kurzawa, a 2018-19 Kenan Fellow, teaches at Kennedy Middle School in Charlotte. His “Fellowship Providing Students with STEM Advantage” is made possible by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Duke Energy, and The Belk Foundation. His mentor is Clifton Vann of Hyde Park Partners.
Merck Grant Supports Kenan Fellows Program and EPA Partnership to Offer Cross-Curricular Environmental Education for Durham Educators
- DURHAM – The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State University is pleased to announce a partnership with the EPA and Durham Public Schools to offer a special cross-curricular professional development series for K-12 educators in Durham.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Merck Foundation, we are able to provide selected educators with a statewide perspective of environmental and agricultural issues while examining and deepening their understanding of these same issues in Durham. Sessions will be led by educators in the Kenan Fellows Program Alumni Network and address timely topics such as food deserts and environmental justice, and ways to develop eco-solutions for these issues in urban and rural communities.
“Kenan Fellows alumni continue to grow and lead in their school districts and beyond, long after their fellowship year,” said Elaine Franklin, director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership. “With Kenan Fellows leading an average of 45 hours of formal professional development annually, this partnership with the EPA and Durham Public Schools will allow our industry professionals and Durham area alumni who are experts in environmental education to share their knowledge by connecting with other teachers who are passionate about the environment and sustainability.”
Participants must be educators in Durham Public Schools and complete an online application. A total of 25 educators will be selected including five each from elementary, middle, and high school, and 10 from among educators who teach ESL, exceptional education, or serve as instructional coaches. Educators who are selected to participate will receive a $100 stipend upon completion of the program, which will consist of three virtual sessions that include optional networking time. In addition, there will be a field trip to the EPA’s RTP campus and a paid overnight trip to the NC Coastal Federation next summer.
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in RTP is excited to continue our partnership with the Kenan Fellows Program through this professional development opportunity for educators in the Durham Public Schools,” said Kelly Witter, Director of EPA-RTP’s Community Engagement & STEM Education Program. “Two former EPA Fellows are leading the effort and will be sharing the environmental knowledge gained during their EPA experiences.”
Applications are currently being accepted through Sept. 28, 2020. To apply visit, tinyurl.com/KFP-DurhamPD.
- DURHAM – The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State University is pleased to announce a partnership with the EPA and Durham Public Schools to offer a special cross-curricular professional development series for K-12 educators in Durham.
Kenan Fellows Partner with Charlotte Nonprofit to Bring Aquaponics Curriculum to Middle School Students
CHARLOTTE — Kenan Fellows, Jennifer Keeler and Morgan Beldon, are interning at 100 Gardens, a Charlotte nonprofit that implements aquaponics gardening programs in schools, institutions, and communities of need through on-site greenhouses that provide opportunities for hands-on learning.
“Aquaponics is a method of farming that raihttps://kenanfellows.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=19719&action=edit#ses freshwater fish and vegetables together. The fish create the nutrients for the vegetables through their waste, and the vegetables return clean water back to the fish,” Keeler said. “Sam Fleming, the executive director, is extremely passionate about 100 Gardens and has been a great mentor throughout this process.”
Drawing from the knowledge gained during their internships, the 2020-21 Kenan Fellows are creating a four-week unit for grades sixth through eighth that includes a series of lessons in which the students examine and reflect on their experiences of working inside the greenhouse as well as learning about nutrition. The cross-curricular unit is tied to literacy, math, science, and health standards and can be used at any school that has an aquaponics system or partners with 100 Gardens.
”This has been an invaluable opportunity. I'm a Language Arts teacher by trade, so the opportunity to think outside of my typical box when planning lessons and to challenge myself when constructing the curriculum has been a daunting, but fun task,” Beldon said. “Working with such a community-centered organization has also been a huge gift.”
The curriculum will be piloted at Bonnie Cone Classical Academy, where Keeler and Beldon teach, as a bridge to close the summer learning gap. The charter school in Mecklenburg County is in its second year. Once the program has been designed, schools will be able to choose whether they wish to implement the curriculum as a summer program, during aquaponics classes throughout the school year, or as an after-school program.
“The credit truly goes to Jennifer and Morgan. I have shown them several of our greenhouses and one of our indoor aquaponics systems and they have taken all the information I have given them and ran with it,” Fleming said. “They are very creative and open to new ideas. We are very excited to see the final product and to continue working with them.”
Keeler said her biggest takeaway has been observing the hands-on learning that happens when schools partner with 100 Gardens and the connections that students make when they grow and eat their own healthy foods.
“I feel extremely grateful and lucky that we are able to work with Sam on this project. Before learning about our internship, I knew very little about 100 Gardens and aquaponics, I did not know that having an indoor greenhouse at our school would even be possible,” Keeler said. “This is going to be an amazing opportunity for our students and families, and I can’t wait to get them all involved.”
This project was made possible by a grant from the NC ACCESS Program.
Kenan Fellow and Triangle Manufacturer Develop Strategies to Diversify Workforce
Caroline Olson (middle) and her mentors, Benjamin Willis (left) and Ibrahim Ozkan (right), work on her project during her internship at Cornerstone Building Brands in July 2019 prior to coronavirus pandemic.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK — Caroline Olson, a 2019-20 Kenan Fellow, collaborated with experts at Cornerstone Building Brands to explore ways to strengthen the talent pipeline for people with disabilities.
Olson, a special education teacher in the Wake County Public School System, interned at Cornerstone for three weeks during the summer of 2019 as part of her fellowship. While at Cornerstone, Olson examined hiring practices and existing programs for the recruitment and retention of individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs).
Cornerstone has a strong culture of inclusion but the company sought Olson’s expertise in special education to identify areas of improvement. Under the guidance of her Cornerstone mentors — Ibrahim Ozkan, Benjamin Willis and Lee Clark-Sellers — Olson drafted a 49-page proposal for the company to create an employment program that expands opportunities for individuals with disabilities to gain and retain employment in advanced manufacturing settings. Olson is also planning to develop teacher training programs and resources for post-secondary employment for families of students with disabilities in her school district.
“I am incredibly thankful to my mentors, funders, and the Kenan Fellows Program for providing me with this experience,” Olson said. “To be able to apply the skills that I have as an educator in a different setting gave me the confidence to create a product that will not only impact their company, but also my teaching practice. I want to empower my students to move outside of their comfort zones and take risks.”
Her proposal for Cornerstone is titled, “Creating and Implementing Inclusive Hiring Practices for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Advanced Manufacturing.” She visited four facilities across three states for Cornerstone to consider as potential pilot sites. At the end of her internship, the company agreed to move forward with the inclusive hiring program at least one of the pilot site locations.
“Caroline did an amazing amount of work, and has helped pave the way for Cornerstone to utilize individuals with IDDs,” said Lee Clark-Sellers, Innovation Officer with Cornerstone Building Brands.
Donate
Support Future Leaders
Opportunities for Your Support
Support Innovation in Education
$5,000 or $10,000 supports education innovations in a variety of areas including alumni projects with local school districts, blended learning professional development, and creation of virtual education resources.
Support a Full Fellowship
$20,000 sponsors a teacher fellowship for one year. You will collaborate with the program to create an internship and curricular project for your Fellow that best translates your unique STEM priorities or opportunities into scalable classroom applications and project-based lessons.
Endowment Opportunities
Endowments give donors opportunities to create living legacies. By investing in the Kenan Fellows Program, you can help build meaningful partnerships between leaders in education and industry that will have a lasting impact on K-12 students and their communities.
Donors can invest in an endowment at any level not only those listed here. Endowment gifts may be pledged over a number of years and funded through cash gifts or planned or deferred gifts.
Endowed Gold Level Sponsor
$25,000 to $50,000 supports education innovations in alumni leadership development and virtual learning for Fellows. Gifts could also support typical Fellowship costs.
Endowed Distinguished Learning Partner
$100,000 supports the long term sustainability of the program. Gifts will impact quality professional learning at Summer and Fall Institutes and opportunities to support project-based learning implementation strategies.
Endowed Lifetime Kenan Fellow
$200,000 or more provides a new Kenan fellowship yearly. The donor has naming rights on the fellowship opportunity and input on the theme and location of the fellowship.
Recognition
Recognition includes a press release announcing you or your organization’s Fellow, highlights in varying publications, such as social media, online campaigns, e-newsletters, and print brochures. Donors receive annual invitations to the Fellows showcase (fall) and graduation celebration (spring).
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“The Kenan Fellows Program provides a life-changing, long-term impact for both teachers and their students. Facebook is proud to support teachers so that their students can be college and career-ready.”
Katie Comer, Community Development Regional Manager, Facebook.
Stories of Impact
https://kenanfellows.org/2020/09/02/kenan-fellows-partner-with-charlotte-nonprofit-to-bring-aquaponics-curriculum-to-middle-school-students/
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_0e95eb94-ed43-11ea-b9ce-a7cffb3d79a5.html?fbclid=IwAR2oRICsVyolZ-VawqvUzlJZIYjuUbF6ekesTgVegZngFgqmIBR57jQUIRk
Merck Grant Supports Kenan Fellows Program and EPA Partnership to Offer Cross-Curricular Environmental Education for Durham Educators
- DURHAM – The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State University is pleased to announce a partnership with the EPA and Durham Public Schools to offer a special cross-curricular professional development series for K-12 educators in Durham.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Merck Foundation, we are able to provide selected educators with a statewide perspective of environmental and agricultural issues while examining and deepening their understanding of these same issues in Durham. Sessions will be led by educators in the Kenan Fellows Program Alumni Network and address timely topics such as food deserts and environmental justice, and ways to develop eco-solutions for these issues in urban and rural communities.
“Kenan Fellows alumni continue to grow and lead in their school districts and beyond, long after their fellowship year,” said Elaine Franklin, director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership. “With Kenan Fellows leading an average of 45 hours of formal professional development annually, this partnership with the EPA and Durham Public Schools will allow our industry professionals and Durham area alumni who are experts in environmental education to share their knowledge by connecting with other teachers who are passionate about the environment and sustainability.”
Participants must be educators in Durham Public Schools and complete an online application. A total of 25 educators will be selected including five each from elementary, middle, and high school, and 10 from among educators who teach ESL, exceptional education, or serve as instructional coaches. Educators who are selected to participate will receive a $100 stipend upon completion of the program, which will consist of three virtual sessions that include optional networking time. In addition, there will be a field trip to the EPA’s RTP campus and a paid overnight trip to the NC Coastal Federation next summer.
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in RTP is excited to continue our partnership with the Kenan Fellows Program through this professional development opportunity for educators in the Durham Public Schools,” said Kelly Witter, Director of EPA-RTP’s Community Engagement & STEM Education Program. “Two former EPA Fellows are leading the effort and will be sharing the environmental knowledge gained during their EPA experiences.”
Applications are currently being accepted through Sept. 28, 2020. To apply visit, tinyurl.com/KFP-DurhamPD.
- DURHAM – The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State University is pleased to announce a partnership with the EPA and Durham Public Schools to offer a special cross-curricular professional development series for K-12 educators in Durham.
Kenan Fellows Partner with Charlotte Nonprofit to Bring Aquaponics Curriculum to Middle School Students
- CHARLOTTE — Kenan Fellows, Jennifer Keeler and Morgan Beldon, are interning at 100 Gardens, a Charlotte nonprofit that implements aquaponics gardening programs in schools, institutions, and communities of need through on-site greenhouses that provide opportunities for hands-on learning.
“Aquaponics is a method of farming that raises freshwater fish and vegetables together. The fish create the nutrients for the vegetables through their waste, and the vegetables return clean water back to the fish,” Keeler said. “Sam Fleming, the executive director, is extremely passionate about 100 Gardens and has been a great mentor throughout this process.”
Drawing from the knowledge gained during their internships, the 2020-21 Kenan Fellows are creating a four-week unit for grades sixth through eighth that includes a series of lessons in which the students examine and reflect on their experiences of working inside the greenhouse as well as learning about nutrition. The cross-curricular unit is tied to literacy, math, science, and health standards and can be used at any school that has an aquaponics system or partners with 100 Gardens.
”This has been an invaluable opportunity. I'm a Language Arts teacher by trade, so the opportunity to think outside of my typical box when planning lessons and to challenge myself when constructing the curriculum has been a daunting, but fun task,” Beldon said. “Working with such a community-centered organization has also been a huge gift.”
The curriculum will be piloted at Bonnie Cone Classical Academy, where Keeler and Beldon teach, as a bridge to close the summer learning gap. The charter school in Mecklenburg County is in its second year. Once the program has been designed, schools will be able to choose whether they wish to implement the curriculum as a summer program, during aquaponics classes throughout the school year, or as an after-school program.
“The credit truly goes to Jennifer and Morgan. I have shown them several of our greenhouses and one of our indoor aquaponics systems and they have taken all the information I have given them and ran with it,” Fleming said. “They are very creative and open to new ideas. We are very excited to see the final product and to continue working with them.”
Keeler said her biggest takeaway has been observing the hands-on learning that happens when schools partner with 100 Gardens and the connections that students make when they grow and eat their own healthy foods.
“I feel extremely grateful and lucky that we are able to work with Sam on this project. Before learning about our internship, I knew very little about 100 Gardens and aquaponics, I did not know that having an indoor greenhouse at our school would even be possible,” Keeler said. “This is going to be an amazing opportunity for our students and families, and I can’t wait to get them all involved.”
This project was made possible by a grant from the NC ACCESS Program.
Kenan Fellow and Triangle Manufacturer Develop Strategies to Diversify Workforce
Caroline Olson (middle) and her mentors, Benjamin Willis (left) and Ibrahim Ozkan (right), work on her project during her internship at Cornerstone Building Brands in July 2019 prior to coronavirus pandemic.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK — Caroline Olson, a 2019-20 Kenan Fellow, collaborated with experts at Cornerstone Building Brands to explore ways to strengthen the talent pipeline for people with disabilities.
Olson, a special education teacher in the Wake County Public School System, interned at Cornerstone for three weeks during the summer of 2019 as part of her fellowship. While at Cornerstone, Olson examined hiring practices and existing programs for the recruitment and retention of individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs).
Cornerstone has a strong culture of inclusion but the company sought Olson’s expertise in special education to identify areas of improvement. Under the guidance of her Cornerstone mentors — Ibrahim Ozkan, Benjamin Willis and Lee Clark-Sellers — Olson drafted a 49-page proposal for the company to create an employment program that expands opportunities for individuals with disabilities to gain and retain employment in advanced manufacturing settings. Olson is also planning to develop teacher training programs and resources for post-secondary employment for families of students with disabilities in her school district.
“I am incredibly thankful to my mentors, funders, and the Kenan Fellows Program for providing me with this experience,” Olson said. “To be able to apply the skills that I have as an educator in a different setting gave me the confidence to create a product that will not only impact their company, but also my teaching practice. I want to empower my students to move outside of their comfort zones and take risks.”
Her proposal for Cornerstone is titled, “Creating and Implementing Inclusive Hiring Practices for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Advanced Manufacturing.” She visited four facilities across three states for Cornerstone to consider as potential pilot sites. At the end of her internship, the company agreed to move forward with the inclusive hiring program at least one of the pilot site locations.
“Caroline did an amazing amount of work, and has helped pave the way for Cornerstone to utilize individuals with IDDs,” said Lee Clark-Sellers, Innovation Officer with Cornerstone Building Brands.
Advancing Financial Literacy through Education/Industry Partnerships
Lee County Teacher Partners with Investment Company to Improve Financial Wellness Among Students and Adults
RESEARCH TRIANGLE—For the 2019-20 Kenan fellowship year, a Lee County Schools fourth-grade teacher partnered with experts at Fidelity Investments to design resources and implement strategies to advance financial literacy. The fellowship project, “Paying it Forward with Financial Literacy,” is a prime example of how education/industry partnerships can yield mutually beneficial results. The teacher, Taylor Waters, spent three weeks in the summer of 2019 interning at Fidelity’s campus in Research Triangle Park where she explored the many ways that the investment company connects with STEM across North Carolina.
Taylor Waters, a 2019-20 Kenan Fellow, is a 4th-grade teacher at B.T. Bullock Elementary School in Lee County Schools. Her fellowship was supported by Fidelity Investments.
Fidelity provided Waters with a variety of learning opportunities to explore the company’s business, design process, and learning models.
“Fidelity Investments truly cares, inside and out, about helping people self-actualize and using finances as a tool to get there,” Waters said. “I truly care, inside the classroom and out, about helping my students become everything they want to be and living their own dream.”
During her internship, Waters conducted empathy interviews with employees to get their feedback on what they would like to see in online financial learning solutions for employees and how those recommendations can be translated to grade-level appropriate lessons for students. From her experience, Waters was able to develop yearlong financial literacy lessons that integrate with math and social studies curriculum in the elementary classroom.
In addition, she helped Fidelity by joining the Performance Solutions design team to offer her expertise as an educator as they brought financial education to life for associates in areas like budgeting, debt and credit, and saving for retirement.
Marie Shelley, Senior Vice President and Site General Manager for Participant Services, was the executive sponsor for Taylor’s internship and noted, "Taylor was a great addition to the team. She truly connected with our associates during empathy interviews and we valued her education experience as we designed our online tool. Taylor has been creative in bringing financial literacy into her classroom and we are excited that her students will have the benefit of financial basics early in their education."
Advancing Financial Literacy through Education/Industry Partnerships
- Lee County Teacher Partners with Investment Company to Improve Financial Wellness Among Students and Adults
RESEARCH TRIANGLE—For the 2019-20 Kenan fellowship year, a Lee County Schools fourth-grade teacher partnered with experts at Fidelity Investments to design resources and implement strategies to advance financial literacy. The fellowship project, “Paying it Forward with Financial Literacy,” is a prime example of how education/industry partnerships can yield mutually beneficial results. The teacher, Taylor Waters, spent three weeks in the summer of 2019 interning at Fidelity’s campus in Research Triangle Park where she explored the many ways that the investment company connects with STEM across North Carolina.
Taylor Waters, a 2019-20 Kenan Fellow, is a 4th-grade teacher at B.T. Bullock Elementary School in Lee County Schools. Her fellowship was supported by Fidelity Investments.
Fidelity provided Waters with a variety of learning opportunities to explore the company’s business, design process, and learning models.
“Fidelity Investments truly cares, inside and out, about helping people self-actualize and using finances as a tool to get there,” Waters said. “I truly care, inside the classroom and out, about helping my students become everything they want to be and living their own dream.”
During her internship, Waters conducted empathy interviews with employees to get their feedback on what they would like to see in online financial learning solutions for employees and how those recommendations can be translated to grade-level appropriate lessons for students. From her experience, Waters was able to develop yearlong financial literacy lessons that integrate with math and social studies curriculum in the elementary classroom.
In addition, she helped Fidelity by joining the Performance Solutions design team to offer her expertise as an educator as they brought financial education to life for associates in areas like budgeting, debt and credit, and saving for retirement.
Marie Shelley, Senior Vice President and Site General Manager for Participant Services, was the executive sponsor for Taylor’s internship and noted, "Taylor was a great addition to the team. She truly connected with our associates during empathy interviews and we valued her education experience as we designed our online tool. Taylor has been creative in bringing financial literacy into her classroom and we are excited that her students will have the benefit of financial basics early in their education."
Summer Institute Goes Virtual
The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership’s 2020 Professional Learning Summer Institute went virtual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Summer Institute is the first of three professional learning institutes for the 2020-21 Kenan Fellows cohort. By the end of the year, the Fellows will have completed 80 hours of professional development designed to support them as their fellowship shapes their voices as practitioners and teacher leaders.
The Biogen Foundation is the lead sponsor of the Institutes, which are planned and led by a faculty of educators in the Kenan Fellows Alumni Network. The Summer Institute was from June 22-26 and featured sessions on equity, inclusion, and diversity, building leadership capacity and strategies for engaging students in remote learning. Kenan Fellows mentors and Board of Advisors members, Lee Clark-Sellers of Cornerstone Building Brands and Dawn Braswell of Siemens, led a discussion on making the most of the internship.
The Institute marked the first time the 2020-21 Kenan Fellows came together as a group. It is the first time the Kenan Fellows Program has offered its professional development virtually.
“I had the best virtual professional development one could imagine. I met a lot of great people, learned about myself through my Myers-Briggs’ results, and got outside of my comfort zone,” said Jacqueline Brown, Biogen Foundation Kenan Fellow. “I can’t wait to go back to school and try some of the online engagement activities that I participated in.”
Summer Institute Goes Virtual
- The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership’s 2020 Professional Learning Summer Institute went virtual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Summer Institute is the first of three professional learning institutes for the 2020-21 Kenan Fellows cohort. By the end of the year, the Fellows will have completed 80 hours of professional development designed to support them as their fellowship shapes their voices as practitioners and teacher leaders.
The Biogen Foundation is the lead sponsor of the Institutes, which are planned and led by a faculty of educators in the Kenan Fellows Alumni Network. The Summer Institute was from June 22-26 and featured sessions on equity, inclusion, and diversity, building leadership capacity and strategies for engaging students in remote learning. Kenan Fellows mentors and Board of Advisors members, Lee Clark-Sellers of Cornerstone Building Brands and Dawn Braswell of Siemens, led a discussion on making the most of the internship.
The Institute marked the first time the 2020-21 Kenan Fellows came together as a group. It is the first time the Kenan Fellows Program has offered its professional development virtually.
“I had the best virtual professional development one could imagine. I met a lot of great people, learned about myself through my Myers-Briggs’ results, and got outside of my comfort zone,” said Jacqueline Brown, Biogen Foundation Kenan Fellow. “I can’t wait to go back to school and try some of the online engagement activities that I participated in.”
Summer Institute
- What a wonderful opportunity to meet new Kenan Fellows! Even though flexibility was required, and we missed the opportunities to be in person and make even more connections. The professional development experiences were informative and eye-opening. I have many followup articles to read and digest to increase my knowledge of biases in education. In my classroom, I look forward to using the many apps we used - such as GooseChase, iNaturalist, and Slack. Many of these will be handy especially when using online lessons or remote learning opportunities. The students will be more engaged with these new experiences than with strictly pencil/paper or other more formative assessments.
My Journey as a Kenan Fellow
- I was so excited to be selected as a Kenan Fellow and researched the Fellowship from the time of the application to the beginning of the summer institute. I considered myself a leader in my school, but I wanted to be a leader that shared throughout my district, region, and state. There are so many challenges in teaching these days that support from others is a key to success. I don't know everything, but I'll share what I know if you will share what you know, and we will learn more together.
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."– Helen Keller
- I was so excited to be selected as a Kenan Fellow and researched the Fellowship from the time of the application to the beginning of the summer institute. I considered myself a leader in my school, but I wanted to be a leader that shared throughout my district, region, and state. There are so many challenges in teaching these days that support from others is a key to success. I don't know everything, but I'll share what I know if you will share what you know, and we will learn more together.
Highlights of my KFP Summer Institute
Getting out of my comfort zone.
I had the best virtual professional development one could imagine. I met a lot of great people, learned about myself through my Myers-Briggs' results, and got outside of my comfort zone by trying to surf on an ironing board (all while my dog appeared to not be interested).
I can't wait to go back to school and try some of the online engagement activities that I participated in. I am also looking forward to using the Remind App as a way to communicate with all of my parents.
What I hope to gain from my fellowship experience...
I am excited about starting my journey as a Kenan Fellows. I hope it will stretch me and make me a better educator. I am looking forward to building relationships with people who are also striving to be the best they can be.
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