Beth McCoy, Jennifer Zeigler, Heather O'Brien and Amanda Lafferty
Trey Joyner, Alycia Eubank, Fund for Teachers, and PEF President Dan Challener
Ann-Marie Blentlinger and Karen West, and PEF President Dan Challener
PEF awarded fellowship grants to 31 Hamilton County teachers, totaling $98,000, to pursue self-designed learning adventures this past summer. The fellowships are made possible through a grant to PEF from the national nonprofit organization Fund for Teachers.
The winning teachers responded to PEF’s invitation to propose their ideal professional development experience and explain how this would inspire authentic learning in their classrooms. Many of the grantees are teams of teachers from multiple schools across Hamilton County.
The 31 teachers who received the fellowships traveled to 10 countries combined: Greece, Italy, France, Rome, Kenya, Spain, Portugal, North Africa, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. They traveled to more than six U.S. cities combined: NYC, Washington DC, San Diego, San Antonio, Savannah and Seattle. These teachers are now sharing with their students what they learned.
Here are the trips each team took:
Hardy Elementary teachers Brittany Harris and Mauriska Munroe did a fellowship in San Antonio, Tx.
Spring Creek Elementary teacher Jennifer Hartley and Wallace A. Smith Elementary teacher Leigh Bain did a fellowship in New York and Washington, DC
Normal Park Museum Magnet teachers Beth McCoy, Jennifer Zeigler, Heather O'Brien and Amanda Lafferty did a fellowship in Costa Rica.
Hunter Middle teachers Christy Baker, Jami Standridge, Brenda Holmes, Jill Smith and Jessica Carlton did a fellowship at Columbia University in New York City.
Normal Park Museum Magnet teacher Trey Joyner did a fellowship traveling from Savannah to Seattle.
Loftis Middle teacher Ann Souza did a fellowship in Guatamala.
CSAS teachers Debra Tucker, Jennifer Raulston, Kawanna Potier, Erin Bas, Daniel Morgan and Jessica Ulloa did a fellowship in San Diego.
Red Bank High teacher Nozipho Moyo and Hixson High teacher Maika Turner did a fellowship in Spain, Portugal and North Africa.
CSLA teachers Ann-Marie Blentlinger and Karen West did a fellowship in Kenya.
Ooltewah High teachers Andrea McGuirt and Heather McIntryre did a fellowship in France, Italy and Rome.
Clifton Hills Elementary (now teaches at Apison Elementary) Vinnie Taneja and Apison Elementary (now teaches at Ooltewah Middle) teacher Elizabeth Zachau did fellowship in Costa Rica.
Hamilton County High (now teaches at Ivy Academy) teacher Bryan Phillips and Red Bank High teacher Chuck Jones did a fellowship in Greece and Italy.