The College of Education has made scholarships its top priority because it helps alleviate student debt and attracts a more diverse student population to the profession. Now, we've gone one step farther. With support from generous donors, Lee and Barbara Harris, we've created a program, called Today's Teachers Program. It is for Tomorrow’s Teacher or Tomorrow’s Teacher Blatz graduates teaching in Kansas schools who are interested in leading an education-related community service program for children or adults in exchange for a stipend and support for their alma mater. Here's how this program came to be.
Kansas teachers in K-12 are often paid a lower salary than teachers in many other states. This is especially true in rural areas of the state. Teachers are often very engaged in their communities. We know you are frequently tapped for your teaching expertise outside of your classroom. Community service, service learning, and engagement are part of our very fiber. You support your communities and families in impactful ways. As civic leaders, you strengthen your communities. This program recognizes your contributions.
We would like to see more Tomorrow’s Teacher graduates retain positions in Kansas that pay a competitive wage and launched the Today’s Teacher program to support Tomorrow’s Teacher graduates who want to continue to teach in the state of Kansas.
As a Tomorrow’s Teacher or Tomorrow’s Teacher Blatz graduate we know that you are engaged in your communities. In fact, your teaching skills likely impact a variety of initiatives. To receive a competitive Today’s Teacher stipend of $5,000 recipients must engage in some form of community service—based on your passion and interests—that involves teaching children or adults. We suggest a community project that can be completed in one year with a minimum of 125 hours of service. Then, you will document that project so that future teachers in our teacher preparation programs can benefit from your impact. The goal is to plant seeds in our pre-service teachers that encourages them to support their local communities, as well as their schools.
Today’s Teacher fellows may submit a repeat of a program they have previously implemented provided they demonstrate how that program will be enhanced to have an even greater impact on the community.
Today’s Teacher Application
The Today's Teacher Program Recipients
Victoria Lynch, an instructional coach at John Diemer Elementary School in Overland Park. Her project revolves around reimagining Chat and Chew, a PTA-sponsored reading enhancement program for students in the second through sixth grades. Passionate about social justice, Lynch intends to ensure all students can participate by acquiring books for students. Once they have read them, Lynch and trained parent volunteers will lead quarterly book discussions designed to instill a love of reading.
Jada Stringfield, kindergarten and first grade special education teacher at Seltzer Elementary School in Wichita, plans to share her expertise by designing professional learning opportunities for other educators. By creating sustainable support systems for private schools, Stringfield will help ensure that all students benefit as she shares strategies to support each learner's needs.
Kinsey Volk, elementary music teacher at Bickerdyke Elementary School in Russell, plans to serenade the residents of Russell with the Bickerdyke Bunch, a group of elementary singers and musicians. The after-school choir will perform at locations such as the local nursing home and play local concerts with their ukuleles.
Leah Ward, second grade teacher at Ray Marsh Elementary School in Shawnee, plans to enhance the leadership skills of fourth through sixth graders by focusing on innovation, teamwork, organization and leadership. Students will assess community needs then perform activities to address those needs, including a food drive. Ward will coordinate four character assemblies at Ray Marsh Elementary School during the year.
Angela Johnson (Faulds), a seventh grade math teacher at Spring Hill Middle School, plans to initiate Mindful Mavericks, a school club focusing on positive mental health practices and learning about community resources. The group's monthly meetings will involve learning activities, a food drive and visits from community presenters.
Jancy Davis, a nationally board-certified math teacher at Manhattan High School, is developing after-hours math tutoring and assistance for students in both face-to-face and online formats. She also is offering international travel opportunities for high school students during the summer months and plans to include pre-service teachers from the K-State College of Education. Their involvement is designed to provide the future teachers with a hands-on opportunity to plan and navigate the complexities of coordinating travel abroad.
Katelyn Meiwes, a virtual high school teacher at Humboldt High School, strives to meet her students — teenagers and adults — wherever they are, literally and figuratively. She is developing guided early childhood activities for students who bring their children with them to school meetings and to develop guided educational activities that the parents and children can do at home. Many of her students are completing their high school degrees online due to a number of life situations.
Meredith Reid, choir teacher at Girard High School and Middle School, serves as the Southeast Kansas Music Educators Association District High School Choir chair and will use the award to bring the power of music to rural areas of Kansas. As a part of her activities in this role, she will secure an accompanist and clinician for a day of learning and singing that will conclude with a concert for family, friends, and community members.
