On National Teacher Day, the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at N.C. State University is excited to announce the selection of 38 K-12 educators from North Carolina public schools as 2024-25 Kenan Fellows.

These educators, from 24 school districts across the state, represent diverse grade levels and subject areas including math, science, foreign language, and general education.

The Kenan Fellows Program offers teachers immersive summer experiences in industry and research settings and supports them in turning this industry exposure into instructional resources and programs for their schools, districts, and communities. As part of their fellowship, Kenan Fellows will spend three weeks collaborating with local experts in STEM fields including agriculture, scientific research and clean energy. They will receive a $5,000 stipend and participate in 80 hours of professional development focused on innovative teaching, building leadership capacity, and strengthening connections between their schools and the local community.

“Announcing our new cohort of Kenan Fellows is always a highlight and we look forward to seeing how this group of outstanding educators will leverage their fellowships to connect students to future career opportunities and college pathways,” said Vance Kite, director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership. “We owe immense gratitude to our donors and host organizations for making these work-based professional development opportunities available for educators statewide.”

The fellowships are made possible through the generous support of the program’s corporate, education, government, and foundation sponsors: BelleJAR Foundation, Biogen Foundation, N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, Fleet Readiness Center East, N.C. State University, Kidzu Museum, Nutrien, Dogwood Health Trust, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. Farm Bureau, Sampson County Farm Bureau, NC Ag in the Classroom, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Meta, N.C. Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, Four County EMC, and Duke Energy.

Amneris Solano

Amneris Solano leads strategic communication and public relations for the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at N.C. State University. She has over a decade of experience directing communication for nonprofits and educational initiatives. Originally trained as a journalist covering education, government, and breaking news in eastern North Carolina, she has a passion for storytelling and strives to amplify diverse voices. She holds an M.S. in Communication from N.C. State University with a focus on communication campaigns and social change.