Teachers can take real-world experiences into their classrooms

From 30-feet up in a bucket truck, Jamie Mosley witnessed a view of her hometown that she'd never seen before. The rolling hills and farmhouses of rural Surry County stretched out below her. Under the brim of a hard hat and protected by thick rubber gloves, insulated sleeves and work boots, the 7th-grade science teacher was helping electric linemen string a power line to the top of a utility pole.

The Gentry Middle school teacher's stint as a lineworker was part of Mrs. Mosley's five-week internship at Surry-Yadkin EMC, the Dobson-based electric cooperative that selected her for a Kenan Fellowship last summer.

The Kenan Fellows Program pairs teachers with mentors in research and industry settings to gain insight into how STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects can be relevant to students. Through a year of rigorous professional development and leadership training, educators selected to become Kenan Fellows use real-world experiences to help students see how their lessons apply in their world. Students also become informed about local job opportunities and careers in STEM-related fields.

"Kenan Fellows is a competitive program offered to teachers across North Carolina," said Dr. Elaine Franklin, executive director of the Kenan Fellows Program. "We're building a network of more than 300 innovative educators who are enhancing their content knowledge, embracing new technology and more effectively helping students build career-ready skills."

The electric cooperative partnership

North Carolina's electric cooperatives are committed to supporting the communities they serve, which are located primarily in rural areas. Investing in innovative learning to foster economic development through the Kenan Fellows Program is one example of the cooperatives' commitment to community.

"Jamie incorporates collaboration into her teaching style," said Adam Martin, marketing and economic development coordinator of Surry-Yadkin EMC and Mosley's mentor during her fellowship. "We knew from the minute we met her she would be a great partner to help students better understand how electricity is distributed to members and share that message statewide."

Mosley spent her internship learning various aspects of the electric cooperative business, from line work, to collecting payments from members in the office, to touring a gas-fired power plant and even a nuclear power plant partially owned by the cooperatives.

"I never imagined what happens on the other side of the wall when you flip the light switch," Mosley said. "Because of my fellowship, my students are building a model of the generation, transmission, distribution and delivery of electricity. It makes learning come alive for them."

Another Kenan Fellow, Cicelia Aguilar of Warren County Middle School, spent last summer at Enfield-based Halifax EMC learning how the co-op builds and develops its energy infrastructure to meet the region's demands. She also worked with the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce to learn how tourism will impact the region in the future. Both Mosley and Aguilar are translating their experience into dynamic curricula that will prepare their students to contribute in their regions.