Volume 23 • spring 2013
Lighting the Fire Within... A
Tachi Dellinger, de’Angelo Dia & Jen Rankey, 2012 Light the Fire Recipients
s our Honor Code states, we value the uniqueness
and gifts of others. Because our school community benefits greatly from passionate, engaged teachers and to promote teachers’ gifts and interests, we established the Light the Fire grant. A Light the Fire grant supports an experience that goes beyond traditional professional development. Available to all teachers and administrators – full and part time – this grant is customized and driven by the applicant’s passion and interest and is a “perk” for longevity and service to Trinity.
stairs to the battlement at Eilean Donan. There were so many adventures and serendipitous moments that put fingerprints on my heart.
I had never traveled Europe, so planning my own 18-day trip including air, rail transportation, lodging, and sites to see in each city was an adventure in itself! My trip took me to Bath, Chester, Conwy, Wales, Edinburgh, Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye, Oban, Iona and London. While in London, I spent a day traveling to Canterbury and Dover. In Abernethy, Scotland, I Each grant experience represents an opportunity for the spontaneously visited a school to ask directions. I ended recipient to meet a dream, further Trinity’s mission and up meeting the teachers and spent time in their third ignite the fires of curiosity within our students. Below are grade class teaching a “wee bit” about America. My the stories, the experiences and the adventures of our very students this year are exchanging letters and books, first Light the Fire grant recipients: Tachi Dellinger, Gr. celebrating holidays, and comparing data with the class 3 Teacher; de’Angelo Dia, Middle School Language Arts from this primary school in Abernethy! With a clock in Teacher; and Jen Rankey, K-8 Art Teacher. our classroom on Abernethy time and one on Charlotte time, we are reminded of each other everyday. This Tachi Dellinger friendship and connection is one of the greatest things Project Title: Exploring I brought back from Scotland for my class and myself. Medieval Castles and Ancient Sites in England, During this trip, I drank in the history, culture and surroundings in deep gulps. Upon returning, I continue Scotland and Wales to take sips of the history, architecture, and people (pictured: Ms. Dellinger with shaping history in medieval times. My heart and my third-graders in Scotland) teaching will never be the same because of this “out of the box” professional development opportunity. Thank you, Trinity, for always valuing lifelong learning Ten years ago I came to Trinity and began teaching third and setting the embers of my love of history and grade. Our first Storypath unit was Castles and Medieval Scotland ablaze. Life. I have always had a love of castles, history, and Great Britain, but I knew little about the defenses of castles and de’Angelo Dia how they were built. I dove headfirst into researching and Project Title: Abiyoyo: Sugar Cane, Cotton Candy and learning along with the students as we explored medieval Carolina Gold Rice (Gullah & Caribbean Folk Tales) life. Each year I gained new information and added to the (pictured: Mr. Dia with artist Jonathan Green) curriculum we teach our third graders. When the Light the Fire grant was offered, I decided to apply and see if I Often, Jamaican and Gullah oral tradition are could actually go to visit and study castles and medieval interpreted as simple fairy stories that no one could sites firsthand. possibly take seriously. Many find it easy to dismiss I could practically hear bagpipes ringing when I was told I received one of the three grants. I was given the chance to turn the key and open the door and climb to the top of the ancient round tower in Abernethy, Scotland. I put my arm into an arrowloop in Conwy Castle and the Tower of London. I walked through a gatehouse, and climbed
these stories and say, “This can’t be real.” I encourage those individuals to explore a rice farm in South Carolina on a cool breezy night or explore the roots of giant cotton trees of Jamaica (known for being the “hang out” spots for spirits). The lessons of these stories should be taken seriously; these stories
2012 Light the Fire grant recipients: Tachi Dellinger, Jen Rankey & Cisco and de’Angelo Dia.
provide great understanding of self and the universe. Typically, African descendants are portrayed in western literature as flat characters and limited in scope. The settings of these stories are often found on plantations and in urban ghettos. By presenting Gullah and Jamaican oral tradition, one can hear and mentally picture the range and diversity that dwells within characters of color. These stories can serve as catalysts to attempt to answer basic questions about the world, illustrate morals told for entertainment and transfer history. These stories can also help demystify the stereotypes and beliefs of both cultures, which are often perpetuated by western literature. My Light the Fire summer was a spiritually uplifting experience. The opportunity to examine my Gullah roots and integrate my experience into our curriculum has been an academic blessing. I hope our students have enjoyed hearing the folk tales as much as I have enjoyed presenting them. Through the Light the Fire grant, I am providing a new voice and outlet to these stories and collections of poetry in my personal and professional life. My hope is that cultural understanding will be gained as well as a profound appreciation of the art forms.
In this issue... > The Value of Non-Cognitive Skills
> S.T.E.M. Learning Uncovered at TES > Middle Schoolers “Explore Identity” > WOW Week, Alumni News & more... Creating Scholars, Nurturing Spirituality and Embracing Diversity in Charlotte’s Center City
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