This article was originally published by North Carolina State University’s College of Education.
Laura Bostic always knew that she wanted to make an impact on her eastern North Carolina community and that she wanted to work with kids. Seeing how much of an impact her own teachers made as she was growing up, she decided to become a teacher and enrolled in the NC State College of Education, where she was accepted into the first cohort of the Transformational Scholarships Program.
“I saw how much teachers can influence not just academics, but confidence and mindset, and that stuck with me,” Bostic said. “I want to be that person for my students, someone who helps them believe in themselves while also giving them the tools they need to be successful beyond the classroom.”
Supported by a charitable grant from the Anonymous Trust, the Transformational Scholarships Program provides a minimum of $40,000 over four years to students from eastern North Carolina who plan to return to the region to teach.
Bostic, who graduated in May with a degree in mathematics education, is among the first of the Transformational Scholars to graduate. Her time in the program, she said, helped her develop both professionally and personally as an educator and helped her grow in her confidence, ability to communicate and in the way she approaches teaching all while reducing her financial burden.
“The program has opened doors to opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise and gave me a clear path to earn my degree with financial support, which took a huge weight off my shoulders,” she said. “It also allowed me to student teach in my hometown in eastern North Carolina, which has been really meaningful. It’s helped me start making a name for myself in the same community I plan to invest back into long-term.”
Sign up for the EdDaily to start each weekday with the top education news.
Elise Hines feels similarly about returning to teach in eastern North Carolina, saying that being a Transformational Scholar has “further confirmed my decision to return home and give back to the same community that shaped me.”
However, it was an experience far away from home that was Hines’ favorite part of her time as a Transformational Scholar.
Hines was one of several Transformational Scholars who had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica, where she attended classes, volunteered in local schools, and interacted with students and teachers in the country.
“At first, I was really nervous because it was my first time traveling out of the country, but this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way,” said Hines, who graduated this May with a degree in elementary education. “It helped me grow in my confidence and become more open to trying new things. It also showed me how important it is to take risks and step into unfamiliar situations, which is something I want to encourage my future students to do too.”
The experiences Hines had closer to home at the College of Education have also made an impact.
She said her classes taught her how to design engaging and student-centered lessons and create a classroom environment where students feel supported. The ability to be in real K-12 classrooms on a regular basis also helped her gain real-world experience and learn how to respond to students’ needs in the moment.
Bostic also believes her experiences in student teaching “truly put me a step ahead” by offering the ability to immediately connect what she was learning in her coursework in classrooms. The school visits and candidate selection days she participated in as a Transformational Scholar, she said, helped prepare her for what to expect in various school environments as well.
“I feel prepared not just in content, but in classroom management, lesson planning and adapting to students’ needs,” she said.
These experiences were all supported by the faculty and staff in the College of Education who Hines said challenged, encouraged, and helped her build confidence in herself as a future teacher. By watching their example, Hines said she learned how important it is to build strong relationships with the students who will one day be in her classroom.
“I am truly so thankful for all of the support and opportunities I have had through NC State and the Transformational Scholarships Program,” Hines said. “These experiences have shaped me both personally and professionally, and have helped me grow into the educator I am becoming.”
Editor’s note: The Anonymous Trust supports the work of EdNC.
Recommended reading
