Being a Fellow

Fellow Profiles

Name: Avery Himes
School: Akili Academy
Cohort: 2008

Avery Himes, a recent graduate of Morehouse College, is a founding teacher at a new charter school in the Gentilly neighborhood. Avery teaches 30 “amazing” kindergartners who remind him everyday that he “made a great decision” to come to New Orleans.

The biggest surprise to Avery in his first year of teaching has been the amount of time he spends lesson planning. Although lesson planning is time consuming, Avery believes that such planning is instrumental in helping him succeed in the classroom. The hours spent lesson planning are quickly forgotten when Avery interacts with his students’ “huge personalities in miniature bodies.” One minute Avery’s students have him frustrated, and the next minute they have him laughing, but Avery genuinely relishes these “adventures” in his classroom and is continuously reminded of why he committed to teaching in New Orleans.

Name: Rosa Gastiaburu
School: Medard H. Nelson Elementary
Cohort: 2007

Rosa Gastiaburu’s strong desire to make a difference in New Orleans inspired her to change careers from Information Technology to Education. Although Rosa admits to working extremely hard, she does so because she believes in student achievement and recognizes that children are our future. What helped keep Rosa strong in her first year of teaching was the presence of another teachNOLA Fellow at her school, as the two shared similar beliefs towards education and relied on one another for support.

Rosa is also impressed with the citizens of New Orleans, referring to them as “amazing resources.” Rosa’s school, Medard Nelson, has benefited from numerous local volunteers because they “want to see young people achieve goals.” Rosa feels that the New Orleans community is incredibly supportive of teachers, old and new, which makes for a positive environment in which to teach.

Name: Danielle Thal
School: Mary Coghill Elementary School
Cohort: 2007

After graduating from Tulane University, Danielle Thal was searching for a way to give back to New Orleans, work with children and utilize her Spanish skills. When Danielle discovered teachNOLA, she determined that the program “fit every one of her aspirations” for the future. Two years later, she is still working to close the achievement gap in New Orleans public schools, teaching her students about the rich language and cultures of Latin America and Spain.

Danielle feels that the best words of advice she received were that her “first year of teaching would be the hardest job” of her life. While Danielle admits that her first year as a teacher was challenging in many ways, daily reflection and preparation helped her successfully overcome obstacles. Like other teachers had promised her, though, Danielle has discovered that the second year does get slightly easier. The fact that “children are depending on her to provide them with an education” keeps Danielle engaged and committed as a teacher in New Orleans.

Name: Shenell Mack
School: Gentilly Terrace
Cohort: 2008

Shenell Mack, a New Orleans native and graduate of Dillard University, was motivated to apply to teachNOLA because she wanted to pursue her teaching certification and felt that teachNOLA was the right program to help her accomplish that goal. Shenell had previously worked as an Educator for the Audubon Nature Institute but possessed a strong desire to help close the achievement gap by working in a high needs New Orleans School.

What does Shenell enjoy most about teaching in New Orleans? The students. Shenell loves interacting with her students, each of whom has “a unique outlook on life.” Shenell enjoys learning from her students as much as they enjoy learning from their teacher. Shenell learns “something new everyday” from her students, which makes teaching a rewarding and invigorating profession.