Fort Valley State University News June 6, 2012 College of Education seniors chosen for national program Three students from Fort Valley State University's College of Education program will travel to the Lone Star State this summer to participate in a program designed to prepare African-American men for careers in education. FVSU Middle Grades Education seniors and Real Men Teach members Roderick Langston, Kyle Jarvis and Donovan Maxwell were selected for the Teacher Quality and Retention Program, sponsored by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, a foundation that provides mentoring for academically-talented HBCU students with leadership potential. The trio will begin their fellowship by attending the program's Male Teacher Institute at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, June 24-30. According to FVSU College of Education dean, Dr. Edward Hill, the institute will offer the men an opportunity to work with master teachers who will help them become national board certified teachers who effectively serve in high-need rural and urban schools. "It is our goal to provide the students in the COE with global experiences that will help them become proficient educators," Hill said. "Having our young men participate in institutes, like these, will help our prospective educators learn how to motivate and inspire children inside our 21st century classrooms. I am very grateful that we were able to cultivate a relationship with the Thurgood Marshall Foundation, and I hope that other young men in the Real Men Teach initiative have the chance to reap the benefits from this extraordinary opportunity." Hill says the program is a highly competitive one. To qualify, students must be a junior or senior, major in education or STEM and maintain a 3.0 GPA (or receive the dean's recommendation). Students were required to write a 100-word biography and complete a 500-word essay about a period in their lives when they overcame a major obstacle or challenge. Candidates were also asked to submit a resume and undergo an interview. Roderick Langston, a 22-year-old aspiring math and language arts teacher from Elberton, Ga., believes that the conference will provide him with additional techniques to better reach his students inside classrooms. "I know that my experiences in the conference's science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities will help enrich my preparation as a science teacher, and give me more supplemental experiences in pedagogy," said Langston, who is currently completing his student teacher practicum in the Houston County Public School System. "[The conference will also] provide me with applications to add to my method classes here in the College of Education" In addition to teaching, the service-oriented student is a member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity and FVSU's Royal Court. Atlanta native Kyle Jarvis wants to teach mathematics and science in his hometown's public school system. "This is so exciting," said Jarvis, who is currently a student-teacher at Huntington Middle School in Warner Robins, Ga. "This experience will prepare me for the upcoming semester as my direct teaching experience [begins] in the fall. I am looking forward to the experience." Outside of the classroom, Jarvis is a member of FVSU's Concert Choir, Joseph Adkins Players theatrical troupe, Kappa Delta Epsilon Honorary Educational Fraternity and the Georgia Association of Educators. He plans to earn a master's degree from Georgia State University. Donovan Maxwell, a 21-year-old Middle Grades education student, is excited about the institute. 'I consider this opportunity a blessing," he said. "You never know what type of networking and further opportunities can come from participating in this type of institute." The student recently mentored children at Northside Middle School, under the Robins Air Force Base's STARBASE STEM program. He is also an associate minister at Shiloh Baptist Church in Fort Valley, and the vice president and lead vocalist of its gospel choir. He is a member of the board of directors for Miracle's Learning World Pre-K and Day Care in Fort Valley. Maxwell wants to earn his master's degree in mental health and counseling and leadership from Troy State or Alabama State University; then enter into the seminary. The aspiring teacher wants to open a school to help shy young men. For more information about the Teacher Quality and Retention Program or the Male Teacher Institute, contact Hill at (478) 825-6365. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.