Union County math teacher Pamela Johnson was honored at a recent N.C. State University football game for her work as a 2019-2020 Kenan Fellow hosted by Union Power Cooperative. During her time in the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership, which is based at N.C. State, Johnson has been able to gain real-world STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) experience at her local electric cooperative and take that first-hand knowledge back to her classroom to bridge STEM at work with STEM at school.
Johnson was recognized on the field at Carter-Finley Stadium during the Nov. 16 game against the University of Louisville and also participated in a pre-game radio interview.
Kenan Fellow Pam Johnson is recognized on the field with NCSU Women’s Basketball Coach Wes Moore and Greg Andress and Luanne Sherron from Union Power Cooperative.
“It’s been so inspiring working with Pam,” said Luanne Sherron, Union Power Cooperative’s Vice President of Key Accounts and Government Relations who served as Pam’s mentor during her fellowship. “She’s learned from us, but we have also learned from her. It’s so rewarding to see her experience with us go back into the classroom.”
During the month of July, Johnson spent her days working alongside staff at Union Power gaining an in-depth look at the cooperative and how math is integrated into various job functions that serve Union’s members. Johnson will continue her Kenan Fellows experience throughout the 2019-2020 school year by designing and implementing a project that shares what she learned with her students. The video below was shown during the game to highlight Johnson’s time at Union Power and the significance of this unique fellowship program. A longer version of the video can be viewed in the In the Community section of our website.
Each year, exceptional teachers from all grade levels are selected for fellowships hosted by business/industry partners. These fellowships are aimed at equipping teachers to help students see real-world relevance in their lessons and be prepared for the future through STEM education.
North Carolina electric cooperatives have sponsored and hosted seven educators as Kenan Fellows since 2014. They will be hosting two additional fellows in 2020-2021, one at Haywood EMC in western North Carolina, and one at Tri-County EMC based in eastern North Carolina. Applications will be accepted for these two fellowships beginning in December. Learn more and apply at kenanfellows.org.