FOR RELEASE: Thursday, June 28, 2018
CONTACT: Patrick Riccards |[email protected]  |  (703) 298-8283

Georgia Selects a Fourth Class of Exemplary Beginning STEM Teachers for Its High-Need Schools

In Fourth Year, Woodrow Wilson Georgia Teaching Fellows Continue to Fill Pipeline to Address Need for Math, Science Teachers

ATLANTA, GA (June 28, 2018)— For the fourth straight year, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and Arthur Levine, president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, honored the State of Georgia’s ongoing commitment to close the achievement gap and provide all students with high-quality teachers, recognizing the fourth class of Woodrow Wilson Georgia Teaching Fellows at the State Capitol.

With the 24 aspiring educators saluted today, the WW Georgia Teaching Fellowship program will have prepared 183 outstanding beginning educators to lead STEM (science-technology-engineering-math) classes in the state’s high-need secondary schools.  Today’s class includes aspiring teachers at Georgia State University and Mercer University, who join 159 teachers who have earned master’s degrees from Columbus State University, Georgia State, Kennesaw State University, Mercer, and Piedmont College since the program began in 2014. The highly competitive Fellowship recruits both recent graduates and career changers with strong backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math.

“Every student deserves access to a quality educational environment for academic achievement and success beyond the classroom,” said Gov. Nathan Deal. “The seeds of President Wilson’s education and ambition sprouted and bloomed here on Georgia soil, and I’m proud to say we have continued to honor that legacy through endeavors like the Woodrow Wilson Georgia Teaching Fellowship program. Young minds remain Georgia’s greatest resource, and this fellowship provides high-need schools with devoted and talented educators to teach, guide and inspire the future leaders of our state.”

The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship focuses on preparing top-quality educators for many of Georgia’s most underserved public schools.  Each Fellow receives $30,000 to complete a specially designed, cutting-edge master’s degree program based on a yearlong classroom experience. In return, Fellows commit to teach for three years in the urban and rural Georgia schools that most need strong STEM teachers. Throughout the three-year commitment, Fellows receive ongoing support and mentoring.

“The Georgia Teaching Fellowship is a success story when it comes to improving the quality and size of the teacher pipeline,” Levine said. “Throughout Georgia, high-need schools now have excellent STEM teachers leading their classrooms, working with teachers and administrators to close the achievement gap and ensure the best STEM education possible for all learners. This was Governor Deal’s goal when he brought the Woodrow Wilson Foundation program to the state, and I am honored to report that Georgia has succeeded in achieving that goal.”

Through the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship program, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation will contribute to the University System of Georgia’s initiative to produce 20,000 new teachers by 2020. Woodrow Wilson is administering the program, with in-state coordination by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE) and support from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. Current project funding is $13.7 million.

All university partners, initially selected in a statewide review by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, spent years tailoring their teacher preparation programs to meet the Fellowship’s standards for intensive clinical work and rigorous related coursework. All five participating universities received $400,000 matching grants to develop their teacher preparation programs based on standards set by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation.

The Woodrow Wilson Foundation is also partnering with a wide range of school districts across the state on this effort, including Atlanta Public Schools, Banks County School System, Bibb County School District, Chattahoochee County School District, Clarke County School District, Cobb County School District, Dekalb County School District, Dodge County Schools, Franklin County Schools, Fulton County Schools, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Habersham County Schools, Hall County Schools, Houston County Schools, Marietta City Schools, Marion County School System, Monroe County Schools, Muscogee County Schools, Paulding County School District, Stephens County School System, Union County Schools, Walton County Public Schools, and White County School District.

”The Georgia Partnership’s most recent research, EdQuest Georgia, spotlights the critical importance of preparing and deploying high-quality teachers to Georgia’s schools to improve student outcomes,” noted Dr. Steve Dolinger, President of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.” “For us to have the opportunity to coordinate the Woodrow Wilson Georgia Teaching Fellowship and essentially support that research being put into practice has been a tremendous privilege. We are pleased to partner with such an outstanding program and are excited about the impact these newly-minted fellows will have on student outcomes across Georgia.”

The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship is also offered in Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio. The Georgia program brings the Woodrow Wilson Foundation’s total commitment to the Fellowship to more than $90 million nationally. More information on the national program can be found at http://woodrow.org/fellowships/ww-teaching-fellowships/.

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About the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
Founded in 1945, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation (www.woodrow.org) identifies and develops the nation’s best minds to meet its most critical challenges. The Foundation supports its Fellows as the next generation of leaders shaping American society.

 

The 2018-19 Class of Georgia Teaching Fellows include:

Georgia State University

• Samuel Atta-Darkwah
• Bridget Curren
• Steven Eicholtz
• Benjamin Fullerton
• Aneta Galazka
• Bailey Kirk
• Raymond Lam
• Megan Larisch
• Melody Merritt
• Linzi Prpich Bullard
• Brady Smith
• Daniel Thornton

Mercer University

• Zachary Alford
• Drew Besson
• Krista Buchanan
• Lorenzo Harmon
• Tyrone Hendrix
• Leah Leonard
• Sean Satterlee
• Daniel Snyder
• Monica Stanwick
• Sarah Stuart
• John Wang
• Natalia Williams

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