Igniting Your Personal and Professional Growth

Describe one or two, specific learning experiences from your fellowship. In words, show us this experience and explain why it was powerful.

During an unexpected interview with Taïme, from Ocean Missions in Husavik, we spoke about the environmental initiatives that the organization spearheads, and we talked about the impact one person can make. Our students often feel like they are just kids and can't really make a difference. Taïme reminded me that they just need help finding what they are passionate about, once they find it they can make a small change, and together those changes become big, maybe not right away, but they will.

What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn professionally?

I started this journey with the idea that environmental conservation and cultural preservation were 2 separate things. However, I learned that they are 2 branches of the same tree. Regardless of where we are from, environmental conservation and cultural preservation are intertwined at every step. Moreover, I learned that preserving and understanding our culture, helps us accept and welcome other cultures. This journey helps us develop our own new traditions with what we learn from others.

What were some unplanned or unexpected experiences or outcomes of your fellowship? Or, how did the fellowship you crafted differ from the actual learning experience?

I had planned to stay in the cities I listed in the proposal, but while planning, I realized that there were other places in Iceland that could offer a different perspective. I was able to immerse myself in Icelandic culture and the idea that our mental health is far more important than anything else. This allowed me to relax and just enjoy the moment, experiences, and people I was meeting.

Impacting Your Classroom, School and Community

Outline specific plans you have to implement your fellowship and reach your student goals.

My plan for this fellowship is to help students understand their heritage and the connection it has with the environment. As we grow our vegetables and herbs, we will learn about recipes, where those recipes come from, and the relationship between cooking, family, and the environment. In Iceland, I also learned the basics of knitting, and plan on using knitting to help students who need behavior scaffolds. Knitting will help students develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

What is one way you can leverage your fellowship to create one authentic learning experience for students? (e.g. hands-on learning, projects, community engagement)

Many students often feel like they don't have a voice and can't make a difference. Through our garden, students will develop skills that will help them see how they can make a difference with small changes in their lives and our school building. Small shifts in their behavior will help them understand that having a voice is about more than yelling or being loud, it is about small actions, the decisions we make, and the repercussions of them, both negative and positive.

How, specifically, will your fellowship extend beyond your classroom? (e.g. families, school-at-large, afterschool groups, surrounding community, colleagues, etc.)

Students will be able to make sofrito and salsa with the products from our garden and will take those home to use in recipes with their families. Those recipes will become part of a fundraiser for a student-selected cause, which can be anything from turning our small garden into a larger one or donating the profits to an environmental organization. I also plan on donating a student-created product to a shelter or a NICU. The goal is for students to see the value of their community contribution.