NC State College of Education Passport to Success Scholars were honored for their achievements at the program’s closing ceremony on April 26.

Students who join NC State College of Education’s Passport to Success program engage in learning experiences outside of the classroom to better prepare to make an impact once they step into their own classrooms. class as teachers.

Each Passport to Success Fellow must engage in activities that fall into four distinct categories – global knowledge, cross-cultural skills, community engagement, and professional development.

Prior to the ceremony, the students recorded presentations where they recap the activities they completed, describe the lessons they learned, and outline the action plans they hope to pursue when they enter the classroom.

Check out some takeaways from each researcher’s experience and watch their full presentations below.

Catherine Dean ’23

For first grade student Catherine Dean, Passport to Success was an opportunity to step out of her comfort zone and expand her horizons by engaging in a variety of different activities.

Dean attended a virtual panel led by women who worked in K-12 administration, served on the leadership team for the NC State of Musical Empowerment Chapter, and volunteered weekly at the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh. , where she read with young students.

“I appreciate the encouragement the Passport program has given me to break my routine from time to time and pursue other interests outside of my specific major,” Dean said. “It has also taught me to be a more complete person, not only competent in one area, but in many areas and as a future teacher I think this is an essential part of building an effective and inclusive classroom. and even a difficult class.

Her experiences through Passport to Success also inspired her to lead a read-aloud from the book. My language, your language in the classroom during his experience in the field, in order to help his students acquire global knowledge and broaden their horizons.

Elizabeth Stavrakakis ’23

Junior Elementary Education student Elizabeth Stavrakakis said what she appreciated most about Passport to Success was the mentorship support she received, both from her mentor, METRC Director Laura B. Fogle , and its program peers.

She also enjoyed engaging in activities that helped her learn and grow, whether it was gaining leadership skills as President of the Elementary Education Organization (ELMO) or participate in the Professional Growth Unit (PGU) “It’s More Than Handshakes and High Fives: Building Relationships With Students of Color.”

Stavrakakis can’t wait to read the book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Studentswhich was recommended to him by Jermaine Porter, Director of Equity and Talent Acquisition for the Alamance-Burlington School System, during this session.

“I want to strive to build a positive, culturally sensitive classroom community throughout my teaching career,” she said.

To do this, she plans to build a diverse and representative classroom library and prioritizes building relationships with her students and their families.

Anne Marie Mullis

Through her Passport to Success activities, Anne Marie Mullis, an English major with a concentration in teacher education, discovered the direction she wanted to take in her teaching career. Although she enjoyed offering homework help through the Teaching the Little Ones program, it made her realize that primary education was not for her. Now she plans to become a high school English teacher.

Mullis also appreciated how the program allowed him to engage in leadership roles, such as serving on the Passport to Success Leadership Advisory Board, and how it provided him with opportunities to interact with faculty and faculty. students with whom she would not otherwise have been able to engage.

A highlight for Mullis was when she attended the Let’s Talk Racism conference, where she said she learned lessons about how best to support all of her students.

“We know them on a personal level,” Mullis said. “We can be aware of what our students need and be a voice for them if they feel silenced or don’t feel empowered to stand up for themselves.”

The lessons Mullis learned also inspired her to make time for free reading in her future classroom and ensure that students can choose from a wide range of books.

Kailee Story ’23

In Passport to Success, Kailee Storie, an undergraduate elementary education student, said she learned how important the values ​​of hard work, dedication and determination are to succeeding as a teacher.

The forums she has attended as part of the program have also instilled in her a passion for promoting equitable education wherever she can.

“This program just proved to me that I have to be the one to bring about that change in my classroom,” Storie said. “If I can’t do it for the whole world, I have to at least do it in my class; I have to at least do it for the future of those I impact.

She is also determined to never stop researching and never stop learning, and has written two poems – “Pencils” and “Misunderstood” – to express her commitment to making a difference through equitable education.

“I want to fight for change, and this program has given me a voice to do that,” Storie said.