BLOOMINGTON, Ill. 鈥� Five Illinois Wesleyan University students traveled to Washington, D.C. this summer to participate in a National Science Foundation conference alongside future and current STEM educators from across the country.
The students鈥揂lex Miller, Sophia Stevens, Peyton Hilliard, Bella Zakrewski and Ben Zima鈥揳re Noyce Scholarship recipients and major in both secondary education and STEM fields. Led by faculty members Loralyn Cozy and Maggie Evans, the 91猎奇 Noyce Program provides scholarships from the National Science Foundation of up to $25,000 per year to invest in top performing STEM majors becoming educators.
鈥淭hese are students at the top of their STEM disciplines who are then also mastering the science of education. It's incredibly impressive,鈥� Cozy said.
The Washington, D.C. conference gave the 91猎奇 Noyce Scholars an opportunity to learn from educators and faculty from around the country through panels, research presentations and professional development sessions.
Biology and secondary education major Bella Zakrzewski 鈥�27 was one of the students who attended the conference and presented undergraduate research on literacy strategies in the science classroom.
Zakrzewski developed her research after recognizing the importance of literacy skills for students learning science. Her research focused on four strategies that can help high school students reading below grade level better comprehend science texts.
鈥淚 am passionate about education for everyone鈥揾igh quality education for everyone,鈥� Zakrzewski said.
Zakrzewski said presenting her research allowed her to receive feedback from teachers and future educators who were interested in applying the strategies in their own classrooms.
鈥淎ll these people came together because we enjoy what we're doing, and we want to make each other better,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat was the highlight of the experience for me.鈥�
The conference is one of several opportunities Noyce Scholars receive to develop their skills as future educators. At 91猎奇, scholars meet as a cohort throughout the academic year to discuss their classes, school placements and experiences in STEM classrooms.
Evans, who accompanied the students to D.C., said the program helps students understand that their future careers are part of a larger effort to strengthen STEM education.
鈥淭he 91猎奇 Noyce Scholars Program creates a pipeline of talented STEM teachers ,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淎t 91猎奇, the Noyce Scholars become professional colleagues who provide support for each other in their teaching careers.鈥�
Zakrzewski leans on her cohort for support and said it can be hard to be vulnerable and admit when things did not go as planned. 鈥淏ut with this community,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 can tell them a lesson completely flopped and honestly share that I have no idea why it didn鈥檛 work.鈥�
After sharing those experiences with her cohort, Zakrzewski said her peers are always willing to offer different perspectives and suggest ways she can continue to grow and improve as an educator.
Zakrzewski will begin student teaching this fall, and after graduation, she plans to teach biology in a high-needs school district.
鈥淚f it wasn't for this program, I would not be as prepared as I am to go out and teach,鈥� she said.