By ZOSHA ROBERSON
For The Reporter
English teacher Abby Williams is known at Sheridan High School as a learner and innovator with an adventurous spirit. These qualities led her to apply for and be selected for an opportunity to travel to South America.
Williams was recently named as a 2024 NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellow. The title comes with a year of study focused on becoming a more globally-minded educator, along with a field experience in Costa Rica next summer. She was one of 48 educators from 36 states chosen.
NEA Foundation is a nonprofit organization that strives to improve public education by advocating for policy change and providing opportunities to teachers. Williams explained that she was drawn to apply for the fellowship because she wants to directly apply what she learns to the classroom.
“I am honored and excited for this opportunity to enhance my global competency in an effort to help my students succeed,” Williams said.
Williams will meet the cohort and begin the year of learning by attending the NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship Fall Conference on Oct. 14 and 15 in Washington, D.C. Then she will begin the program’s online coursework, webinars, and various readings that will help her become more globally aware and bring that global perspective into her classroom. The culmination of the course will occur next summer when the cohort travels to Costa Rica for 10 days to learn about the country’s public policies, education system, and history. While there she will also collaborate and learn with educators in the cohort from across the country.
Next school year, Williams will be able to bring her stories, experiences, and knowledge to her students. Superintendent Dave Mundy praised Williams’ commitment to learning.
“We are grateful for Abby always stepping up to learn and continue to make herself and our district better,” Mundy said. “She is an integral part of all our SCS successes. In addition to her outstanding teaching, this is another example of how she models lifelong learning for her students.”