The summer program is rapidly approaching. We have hired 20 Teaching Fellows, 4 Junior Teachers, 5 Instructional Coaches, and 1 Dean of Students to join us for our 10th summer. Of our summer staff, we are welcoming back former Teaching Fellows Qunsia Daniel, David Pham, Kelsey McKeag, and Jannet Galicia as well as a former Junior Teacher Coral Ramos. 2014 Teaching Fellows Qunsia and David are returning for their second consecutive summer with BTSJC. Qunsia said she is returning to the program this summer because she “thinks about BT often and wanted to go back to see the growth in the students as well as see growth in herself as a teacher.” Current Breakthrough junior Coral is going to use her experience as a 2014 Junior Teacher to excel as a Teaching Fellow this year.
Returners Kelsey and Jannet both taught with BTSJC in 2013 and are now taking on leadership roles in the program. Kelsey will be our Dean of Students and Jannet is joining as the Instructional Coach for our science department. When asked why she is joining BTSJC this summer Jannet replied, “I am returning to BTSJC because the summer I worked with Breakthrough was the most fulfilling of my life. It was the first time I was trusted to run a classroom of my own.” Jannet, a Cornell graduate, is now a middle school teacher in San Jose, CA. Her story is similar to 75% of Breakthrough Collaborative Teaching Fellows across the country who pursue careers in education .
Qunsia, David, Kelsey, Jannet and Coral are all prime examples of how Breakthrough inspires high school and college students become educational leaders. Qunsia has already accepted a position with Teach For America and will join their program in 2016. BTSJC teachers will be working to end educational inequity alongside more than 1,000 Teaching Fellows across 25 cities. We cannot wait to have these outstanding educators back in our program and for them to share their knowledge and experiences of BTSJC with the rest of our summer staff!