Join IRI’s Lee Green as she interviews Elaine Franklin, Director, and Mark Townley, Assistant Director of Programs, at the Kenan Fellows Program. They will discuss this innovative program in North Carolina that gives STEM teachers the tools to better prepare students for jobs in their communities by working with industry partners. The Kenan Fellows use a variety of methods to promote diversity and inclusion within the program and as a model for other programs.
Founded in 2000, the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership addresses the critical need for high-quality professional development for educators, and is the largest (science, technology, engineering and math) STEM-focused teacher leadership program in North Carolina.
Approximately 25-50 outstanding K–12 teachers from across the state are selected annually for this year-long program. Key components are a three-week summer internship with a mentor in a research or applied STEM setting, and 80 hours of professional development that builds leadership capacity and promotes curricular design bridging STEM at work with STEM at school.
