News

The Emily K Center is excited to enter year two of our Next Steps Teacher Fellowship. The goal of this new program is to leverage teachers in achieving a whole school approach to students’ postsecondary success. Last academic year, our inaugural cohort launched two pilot programs in several high schools across Durham, focusing on completing postsecondary milestones and providing resources for career exploration. They collaborated through regular meetings at the Center and received a budget for project implementation.

Pilot programs focused on helping students complete the parts of the postsecondary application process that can often be most challenging, such as writing personal essays, creating a best-fit college list and brag sheet, identifying career goals, and calculating GPAs. By integrating activities into classrooms, fellows made support accessible, reducing transportation and other barriers that can keep students from receiving assistance in planning their next steps after high school. 192 students participated throughout the school year and demonstrated a significant increase in confidence related to postsecondary planning. 

When asked to describe the best part of this experience, one fellow said, “Witnessing the positive impact of my efforts on my students’ lives, seeing them become more engaged, empowered, and prepared for their postsecondary journeys, and knowing that my work is making a difference in their futures.” 

The Center is thrilled to continue this work in the 2024-25 school year by bringing back three existing teacher fellows and welcoming three new fellows. This cohort will continue the work of integrating support for postsecondary milestones into their classrooms and building a blueprint that can be used in high schools throughout Durham.