Two Buncombe County Schools educators have been named to North Carolina State University’s 2026-27 Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership.
Erwin High School’s Lacey Davis and North Buncombe Middle School’s Kerri Hampton will each complete a year-long fellowship, including a summer immersion with a community partner, while continuing to teach. They’ll gain firsthand workforce experience to enhance their practice.
Ms. Davis’ fellowship, sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, will include working with mentor organization Harrah’s. Her project will center around incorporating computer science and computational thinking concepts and career pathways into K-12 education.
Ms. Hampton’s fellowship, sponsored by the Duke University Marine Lab and the NC State Environmental Education Lab, centers on “Ready, Set, Resilience.” That’s a middle school program that draws on lessons from nature to help students navigate personal and communal hardships. The program was developed through a collaboration between Duke and NCSU researchers, resilience practitioners, and North Carolina educators. It has expanded to eight school districts across the state, including communities severely impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Congratulations to these teacher leaders on their Kenan Fellowships!