Partners in Education (PIE), a coalition of academic administrators and community leaders, recently awarded $85,000 in fellowships to teacher candidates.
The group recognized the 18 recipients during its 12th annual Sponsor a Future Teacher Awards Ceremony on Feb. 15.
Each year, PIE provides fellowships of up to $5,000 each to support students during their clinical practice experience, a very important component of the credential program. Since 2006, the group has awarded more than 160 fellowships to teacher candidates.
“The PIE Fellowship program is extremely important in supporting our students that are in clinical practice,” said Nick Salerno, PIE board member and donor. “Clinical practice is a time-consuming and intense requirement that all students must successfully complete in order to obtain their teaching credential. They are literally working full time to meet this requirement and there is no compensation.
The PIE Fellowship allows our clinical practice students to focus their full attention on their teaching, their students and their coursework. Most of our students would need to also work part time during clinical practice to make ends meet. The PIE Fellowship supports them through their entire clinical practice, thus alleviating added pressure and distraction.”
Carlee Dennis, PIE recipient, said earning the fellowship has been tremendously rewarding.
“It was an amazing opportunity to meet the people that donated toward my award,” she said. “The fellowship program has not only been a financial blessing, it has also provided a support system as I move forward in my career.”
This year’s fellowship recipients include: William Borjan (single subject music), Hector Chavez (single subject math), Carlee Dennis (multiple subject), Caitlen Diaz (single subject adapted physical education), Sean Doiron (single subject English), Shawn Johnson (single subject foundational math), Victoria Lao (single subject math), Ulises Lorenzo (single subject adapted physical education), Anthony Lu (single subject foundational math), Jeremy McDermott (single subject agriculture), Julie Moore-Cavallo (education specialist), Ismael Pacheco (single subject math), Jordyn Reaves (single subject math), Rosa Salcedo (single subject Spanish), Evan Scheerer (single subject math), Sylvia Speights (single subject chemistry), Nicole Tronske (single subject biological science), and Sandra Vergara (single subject math).
The PIE Fellowship program accepts applications annually between September and November. A selection committee reviews each candidate based on their GPA, progress in the credential program, community involvement and passion for teaching. Following a panel interview, students are selected and formally recognized at the annual Sponsor a Future Teacher Awards Ceremony held in February.
For more information about PIE, contact Ashley Jones at 909-869-5370.