Duplin County science teacher receives NC State's Kenan Fellowship Award

STEAMA coordinator and science teacher at Duplin Early College Garrick Purdie has been named a 2024-25 Kenan Fellow.

According to a news release, the fellowship includes a three-week summer immersion experience, 80 hours of professional development, and a $5,000 stipend through support from Four County EMC and North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.

Director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership Vance Kite shares the goals and hope for future leaders in this program.

“The goals of the summer immersion experience are to expose teachers to careers and workforce pathways in their community, show teachers the skills that students will need to thrive in the workforce, provide teachers with material to build authentic lessons for their students, and build durable bridges between local industries and schools,” said Kite.

The professional development aims to evolve future educators and students for the rest of their lives. “Ultimately, these fellowships prepare teachers to build authentic lessons that prepare their students for the future workforce and build communities by demonstrating to students that exciting and well-paying career pathways exist near their homes,” said Kite.

Kite is looking forward to Purdie’s participation in the fellowship. “His enthusiasm for the teaching profession and passion for showing students how STEM applies in the workplace made him a standout for the fellowship,” he said.

“We are excited to see how he will integrate this experience into his curriculum and share it with his colleagues,” said Kite.