Three recent University of Wyoming College of Education graduates from Pinedale, Worland and Cheyenne returned to campus recently to share their experiences as elementary school teachers.
They also discussed their professional development activities funded through the Lola B. Newcomb Beginning Teacher Support Grant endowment. The grant recipients, Tiffany Jackson (Pinedale), Tanya Kienlen (Worland), and Cortney Sutcliffe (Cheyenne) visited several UW undergraduate classes during their campus visit.
They also discussed their experiences and grant activities during a lunchtime forum hosted by the College of Education.
The Lola B. Newcomb Beginning Teacher Support Grant is funded by a gift from the estate of Mrs. Newcomb, who attended summer school in the UW College of Education in the 1930s. The grant provides $1,000 in professional development funds to UW graduates who are first-year teachers in Wyoming.
Grants can be used for a range of activities, including mentoring, conferences and workshops, travel related to those activities, substitute time to allow the recipient to participate in mentoring and professional development opportunities, and purchase of classroom materials. Jackson is a second grade teacher at Pinedale Elementary School in Sublette County District 1. She used her Newcomb Grant to purchase Leap Frogs to provide portable technology to aid student learning in reading, math, spelling and critical thinking.
Kienlen teaches first grade at South Side Elementary School in Worland. She used her grant to purchase a Smart Board to enhance her capacity to engage students, stimulate learning and take advantage of a wide range of online educational resources.
Sutcliffe teaches first grade at Hobbs Elementary School in Cheyenne in an environment that is adapting to a Professional Learning Community (PLC) model. She used her Newcomb grant to expand her understanding of a PLC environment.
For more information about the Newcomb Grant program, or to receive a 2009 grant application, contact Debra Beck in the UW College of Education at debbeck@uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-2066.
