Three North Carolina teachers have won Governor’s Educator Discovery Awards to help strengthen their work in the classroom, Governor Roy Cooper and the North Carolina Business Committee for Education announced. Gladys Johnson from New Century International Middle School in Cumberland County, Kathy Bosiak from Lincolnton High School in Lincoln County, and Gabrielle Farrington from Durham Public Schools in Durham County will each receive a $1,000 award to pay for professional development.
“When educators get opportunities to grow as professionals, their students benefit as well,” Governor Cooper said. “I’m excited to see the ways teachers will use these awards to develop their own skills and help their students develop the skills needed for future careers.”
The Governor’s Educator Discovery Award provides a stipend of up to $1,000 for teachers who teach in grades PreK-12 at public schools including charter schools. Teachers will use the awards to pursue a professional development experience of their choosing. This is the sixth round of teachers to receive the award and brings the total number of grants awarded to eighteen. Winning teachers are selected from an impressive and growing applicant pool, demonstrating a strong interest in the program and the opportunities it provides.
The latest teachers to receive grants will use their Governor’s Educator Discovery Award in the following ways:
Gladys Johnson, AIG consultant/teacher in Fayetteville, will pursue International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) certification. ISTE works to engage and empower a community of global educators who believe in the power of technology to transform teaching and learning, accelerate innovation, and solve problems in education. ISTE Certification provides educators with training and recognition on how to implement technology in meaningful and transformative ways. The program combines 14 weeks of professional learning with a six-month portfolio application and review process.
Kathy Bosiak, Earth Science and Human Anatomy teacher in Lincolnton, will pursue a STEAM science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) educational approach inclusion certification. Introducing the arts into STEM can increase innovation and teach students to problem-solve in a different, more collaborative way.
Gabrielle Farrington, K-5 general music teacher in Durham Public Schools, will use her award to take t the Music for Exceptional Students course at UNC-Greensboro this summer. This course teaches techniques and strategies for teaching music to exceptional children, specifically those on the autism spectrum. The course offers instruction in developmentally appropriate and practical classroom activities that promote learning and student engagement.
The Governor’s Educator Discovery Awards are administered by the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE), a business-led, education non-profit (501-c3) that operates out of the Office of the Governor. Since 1983, NCBCE has provided a critical link between North Carolina business leaders and the state’s education decision-makers, helping to create connections between the education curriculum and the overall work readiness of people across the state.
“NCBCE members know how important it is to support teachers across our state. This award provides educators with the opportunity to choose professional development that they can use in their classroom, making it possible to bring new ideas, concepts, and strategies to engage students.” said NCBCE Board Chair, Lilyn Hester.
To be eligible for the Governor’s Educator Discovery Awards, teachers submit a proposal with details about their teaching experience and the professional development activity they wish to pursue and how it would enhance their efforts to create a work-based learning activity for their students.
Teachers can apply for the next round of grants starting June 1, 2021. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of business leaders and educators. Awardees will be notified of their selection via the phone number or email address provided in their application.
To learn more about the Governor’s Educator Discovery Awards or submit an application, click HERE.
The Governor’s Educator Discovery Awards are funded by NCBCE member companies. As interest in the program has grown with each cycle, NCBCE hopes to raise additional funds to expand the program in future years.
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