I have always wanted to teach. I can remember as far back as third grade I would help peers after school and during lunch with their school work. I just love how it feels to help someone understand something with which they were struggling. It also feels good to help someone find joy in something that previously had been a frustrating challenge.”
Tracy’s Story
Teaching Discipline
Chemistry
Why Chemistry
“I wanted to become a science teacher because I wanted to help students perceive science as something beautiful, wonderful, and often quite incredible. Many students are deterred from science because it is intimidating; I hope to help my students push through any challenges they face in science so they can enjoy learning science the same way I did.”
Professional Experience
Tracy worked in education informally for three years at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Each afternoon, Tracy led kindergarten through fifth grade students in a science activity based on the theme of the month, which could be anything from coding to animal behavior. On the weekends, she led live science shows for the general public on topics like Pluto, the human body, physics, and matter.
For two summers, Tracy worked as a science camp counselor. In this role, she led fourth and fifth graders in science activities based on the theme of the week. She led camps on astronomy, coding, green energy, and ocean life. In the winter and spring, Tracy worked as an educator for Girl and Boy Scout visits, leading activities related to astronomy, such as finding constellations with a telescope or learning about the phases of the moon, which enabled the scouts to earn badges.
Tracy will begin teaching at Hillsboro High School during the 2019–2020 school year.
Hobbies
Tracy enjoys making things, including knitting scarves and cross stitching pictures. She finds crafts relaxing, but having a product at the end makes her feel productive.
Academic Background
- Harvard Graduate School of Education (Master of Education)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies)