Fellows will focus on Michigan student access to high-quality instructional materials and transition to post-secondary education, among other issues
Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 16, 2024— Teach Plus, a national nonprofit that empowers teachers to lead student-centered improvements in educational policy and instructional practice, has selected a diverse group of 20 educators from around Michigan for its 2024-25 Policy Fellowship. In this 4th cohort, Fellows will focus on a range of issues of importance to Michigan’s students and communities, including student access to culturally affirming curricula and instructional materials and transition to postsecondary education and career, as well as student mental health and diversifying the teaching workforce.
“Michigan students, families, and teachers are clear in what they want public education to look like: an education system that gives students a strong academic foundation in a safe and supportive environment, and one that is meaningful, engaging, and responsive to student needs. These are the ingredients necessary to set students up for postsecondary success, and we’re excited to equip and empower this next cohort of teacher leaders to move our education system toward that larger vision,” said Ben Locke, Teach Plus Michigan Executive Director.
“Engaging teacher voices is critical to driving equitable education policy in Michigan,” said Amber Arellano, executive director of Ed-Trust Midwest. “This is why we are proud to continue our successful partnership with Teach Plus Michigan by providing policy support and legislative engagement strategies to this year’s policy fellows, among other roles. We look forward to working with these teachers on advancing policies that will close opportunity and achievement gaps and ensure that all Michigan students have the resources and opportunities they need to be successful.”
“Our students not only need and deserve teachers who understand, value, and advocate for them in their success, but also need and deserve an equitable pathway to get there,” said Addie Jajo, a 2024-25 Teach Plus Michigan Policy Fellow and elementary teacher in Reese Public Schools. “My goal is to be that teacher by making sure every student has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of the barriers surrounding them.”
The newly inducted members of the Teach Plus Michigan Policy Fellowship hail from across the state, from Detroit to Crystal Falls in the Western Upper Peninsula and many communities in between including Traverse City, Grandville, Brighton, and Dearborn. Their teaching experience ranges from three to 30 years and across traditional public and charter public schools, from early elementary to high school. Cohort members were selected through a rigorous application process that required them to demonstrate effectiveness, commitment to equity, and pursuit of excellence and innovation in their teaching. Throughout the program, the teachers will have the opportunity to network and share expertise with each other, while building skills in policy, advocacy, research, and communications, and collaborating to advocate for equity-minded changes for Michigan’s students.
“My goal is to promote policies that foster an educational environment where both cultural richness and mental health are valued, recognizing that the emotional well-being of students and teachers is essential for achieving a comprehensive and transformative education,” said Jean Acuna, 2024-25 Teach Plus Michigan Policy Fellow and Spanish teacher in Saginaw Public Schools.
The 2024-25 Teach Plus Michigan Policy Fellows are:
- Jean Acuna, Arthur Hill High School, Saginaw Public School
- Cyrisse Allen, Hamilton Elementary Middle School, Detroit Public School Community District
- Alice Bowe, TCAPS Montessori, Traverse City Area Public Schools
- Angela Flounory, Dr. James Vernor Elementary-Middle School, Detroit Public School Community District
- Brandon Frazer, Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies School (FLICS), Detroit Public School Community District
- Adrianne Houser, Grandville East Elementary School, Grandville Public Schools
- Lawnya Hughley, Detroit International Academy for Young Women, Detroit Public School Community District
- Addie Jajo, Reese Elementary School, Reese Public Schools
- Kyle Kemppainen, Bothwell Middle School, Marquette Area Public Schools
- Tooba Mansoor, Henry Ford Early College, Dearborn Public Schools
- LaShonda Marble, Barack Obama Leadership Academy, Wayne RESA
- Kurt Mastrantonio, Brighton High School, Brighton Area Schools
- Tracie Osborn, Lincoln Elementary School, Sault Area Public Schools
- Brittany Purgar, Schulze Academy for Technology and Arts, Detroit Public School Community District
- Ammerah Saidi, Salina Intermediate School, Dearborn Public Schools
- Kayleigh Schneider, Comstock STEM Academy, Comstock Public Schools
- Allison Soderberg, Forest Park Elementary School, Forest Park School District (Crystal Falls, MI)
- Cheryl Tomlinson, University High School Academy, Southfield Public School District
- Elizabeth Toye, Cody High School, Detroit Public School Community District
- Andrea Ward, Pierce Middle School, Grosse Pointe Public School System
The 2024-25 Teach Plus Michigan Senior Policy Fellows are:
- Eric Colwell, Oak Park High School, Oak Park Schools
- Kristi Trickey, Crestwood High School, Crestwood School District
- Kelsey Wiley, Cass Technical High School, Detroit Public School Community District
- Chad Zwolinski, ACE High School, Rochester Community School District
If interested in interviewing Teach Plus Michigan Executive Director Ben Locke or any of the Fellows, please contact Kelly Pearce at kpearce@teachplus.org or 928-925-9236.
About Teach Plus
Teach Plus is dedicated to the mission of empowering excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that advance equity, opportunity, and student success. In pursuing our mission, Teach Plus is guided by our Student Opportunity Mandate: All students should have the opportunity to achieve their potential in an education system defined by its commitment to equity, its responsiveness to individual needs, and its ability to prepare students for postsecondary success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership in shaping education policy and improving teaching and learning for students. teachplus.org/mi
