Marianne Leek

On Monday, May 14, 500 rising sophomore Teaching Fellows from 14 campuses will embark on a week-long tour of the state. The closing speaker for the event is Mrs. Marianne Leek, Region 8, 2006-07 Teacher of the Year, and an English teacher at Hayesville High School.

The theme of the trip, which is designed to broaden the perspectives of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows, is "future teachers exploring North Carolina's entrepreneurial schools and community partnerships." Along the way perspective teachers will be intro- duced to the various economies, schools and people of the state, including leaders and policymakers as well as some leading artists.

Leek will present a speech to the group on Saturday, May 19. "I'm excited about speaking, " she said.

"The trip is designed to help Fellows realize the diversity of our state's land and people and the impact economic conditions and regional culture have upon schools. We want fellows to understand that in addition to teaching, they atre also going into communities where they will be contributing citizens," said Gladys Graves, director of the statewide program.

Sadie Ferguson Two local Fellows, Erica Anderson from Graham County and Sadie Ferguson from Clay County, will be participating in this year's trip, the 20th annual. Anderson currently attends Western Carolina University and Ferguson is a student at UNC Asheville.

"I am excited to meet other Teaching Fellows from other schools," Ferguson said. "I don't exactly know where I'm going so that will be fun to find out." Ferguson was a student of Leek's while at Hayesville High. "I think that everyone who has had her would agree that she is an excellent teacher."

Leek commented that she was proud of Ferguson. "Sadie is an amazing woman; she'll be an excellent teacher."

The Teaching Fellows Program is a state-funded scholarship loan program administered by the Public School Forum of North Carolina. The program attracts talented high school seniors to pursue careers as public school teachers in North Carolina. Since 1988, nearly 8,900 Fellows have participated in the trip. The program remains one of the premier teaching recruitment programs in the nation, in part due to the $26,000 scholarship forgiven for teaching four years in the public schools of North Carolina.

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