Future teachers can attend 10 participating colleges and universities in North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission has selected 210 individuals to receive North Carolina Teaching Fellows awards for the Class of 2025 during its early-decision window.
The Teaching Fellows program is a competitive, merit-based forgivable loan program providing tuition assistance of up to $10,000 a year for qualified students committed to teaching elementary education, special education, science, technology, engineering, or math in a North Carolina public school. The purpose of the program is to recruit, prepare and support future teachers who attend institutions of higher education in North Carolina.
The award winners may attend any of the program’s 10 partner institutions pending admission: Appalachian State University; East Carolina University; Elon University; Fayetteville State University; North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; NC State University; Meredith College; University of North Carolina at Charlotte; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
In the early-decision window, the NCTF commission received 307 completed and screened applications. The commission considered grade point average, leadership and experience, awards and honors, written essays, educator recommendations, and video submissions to offer the 210 awards. Standardized test scores from SAT/ACT were optional to align with admission standards from participating colleges and universities. Students who did not receive an early-decision award were deferred to the regular application period, which runs until Feb. 28, 2025. Any potential teachers in the areas of elementary, STEM, or special education are encouraged to apply at www.ncteachingfellows.org during the regular application window. The comprehensive list of the Class of 2025 Teaching Fellows awardees will be finalized in March 2025.
“Congratulations to these deserving winners chosen during our early-decision process,” said Bennett Jones, director of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows program. “We look forward to their future careers in classrooms around the state. We are heartened by the continued growth of the program, and we are grateful for the support of lawmakers and education leaders as we continue to promote the teaching profession.”
The 210 awards in the early-decision window represent a 61% increase in early-action awards from last year’s window. The early-decision awardees feature 134 high school seniors, 60 college transfer students and 16 licensure-only students. The early-award recipients hail from 126 different cities and towns representing 63 counties across the state. The early class of 2025 includes 30% minority recipients. Finally, 136 of the early-decision award winners intend to study elementary education, 45 are pursuing licensure in the areas of STEM education, and 29 are planning to be licensed in special education.
The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission is comprised of four deans from educator preparation programs, a community college president, a beginning teacher, a principal, a member from business and industry, and a local school board member. The NC Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year, Superintendent of the Year, Chair of the State Education Assistance Authority Board of Directors, and Director of the Teaching Fellows program all serve as ex-officio members of the commission.
The following are early-decision recipients in the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Class of 2025:
Alondra Acosta, Autryville
Maddie Adkins, Winterville
Oyinkan Ajasa, Durham
Ava Aldrich, Granite Falls
Layla Anderson, Linden
Sydney Anderson, Smithfield
Heily Avila Ponce, Newton Grove
Maytlin Bailey, Rutherfordton
Ginna Bailey, Monroe
Natalie Baker, Princeton
Maddy Banks, Candler
Ralee Bare, Hays
Kate Barnes, Kenly
Sophie Baum, Mooresville
Tamia Beatty, Rose Hill
Allison Bender, Siler City
Khanya Bennett, Burlington
Christine Biela, Gastonia
Emily Biggs, Garner
Janae Blagrove, Greensboro
Shauna Blount, Edenton
Melissa Bolainez Benitez, Pittsboro
Jordyn Boyer, Greensboro
Ava Bradshaw, Benson
Emmy Brandenburg, Greenville
Emma Brown, Lenoir
Lindsi Brown, Asheboro
Azalah Brown, Greensboro
Johaana Bryant, Leland
Isabella Bullard, Southport
Ella Burgess, North Wilkesboro
Mary Grace Calaway, Gastonia
Kelly Carr, Lewisville
Abril Catrain Mella, Raleigh
Kaylyn Causey, Goldsboro
Avery-Grace Chrismon, Elon
Abby Clark, Benson
Lindsey Cliser, Williamston
Taniyah Cobb, Southport
Carrie Cogdill, Mooresboro
Rebekah Cornwall, Thomasville
Elizabeth Cowen, Jacksonville
Mari Cradle, Pembroke
Samantha Crowder, Wake Forest
Laken Crowe, Newland
Natalie Crump, Lenoir
Ausley-Claire Curry, Fuquay-Varina
Devon DeLellis, Carrboro
Madison Dellinger, Maiden
Rachel Delwiche, Raleigh
Camryn Dilday, Winterville
Lauren Doggett, Raleigh
Justine Dukes, Parkton
Addison Dupre, New Bern
Krystyna Dzienisiewicz, Sanford
Alana Edwards, Winterville
Logan Ehrhardt, Julian
Stephanie Elkins, Olin
Mia Errato, Holly Springs
Elena Faltin, Charlotte
Gretchen Feezor, Lexington
Izzy Fleming, Asheboro
Blythe Folds, Wilmington
Rachel Fox, Chocowinity
Mary Franklin, Lincolnton
Cami French, Garner
Shaun Fromal, Garner
Avianna Fuller, Burlington
Maddy Fuller, Louisburg
Isabel Gamble, Mooresville
Brynna Gates, Wake Forest
Kailynn Godfrey, Winston-Salem
Asha Graham, Riegelwood
Jovi Griffin, Mooresville
Raiona Griffin, Fayetteville
Charlene Gutierrez, Hope Mills
Logan Guynn, Franklin
Emily Haas, Granite Falls
Abigail Hartley, Randleman
Torri Harvey, Greensboro
Anna Heath, Princeton
Lana Henry, Whiteville
Lilly Hill, Asheboro
Riley Hixson, Asheville
Laney Hodge, Morganton
Abbie Hooks, Rocky Mount
Hayden Houlihan, Waxhaw
Kadence Howell, Robbinsville
Jackie Hudgins, Sneads Ferry
Tristina Hudgins, Cedar Point
Meredith Hunt, Shelby
Mariah Hux, Pinetown
Brianna Jackson, Clinton
Nevaeh Jackson, West End
Kelsey Jacobs, Jacksonville
Michaiah Jessup, Greensboro
Akeelah Johnson, Fayetteville
Ava Johnson, Calabash
Elizabeth Johnson, Elon
Kylie Johnson, Clinton
Zacchaeus Jones, Kinston
Brianna Jordan, Albemarle
Milena Judd, Greenville
Hayden Key, Cary
Katie Del Key, Oak Island
Carly Kincaid, Swansboro
Carter Kincaid, Statesville
Kate Knoblauch, Raleigh
Ella Kober, Wilmington
Paige Kummer, Charlotte
Erin Lea, Mebane
Trista Leach, Clayton
Mary Lee, Rockingham
Nick Leophard, Walnut Cove
Noah Leophard, Walnut Cove
Drew Levy, Raleigh
Analilia Leyva, Charlotte
Dalton Locklear, Shannon
Jayleigh Locklear, Fayetteville
Lexi Lodahl, Matthews
Sydney Loftis, Boone
Amber Lynde, Mocksville
Megan Macartney, Troutman
Jackelyn Macedo Mendez, Kinston
Grace Maher, Waxhaw
Israa Mahmood, High Point
Jaylene Maldonado, Hope Mills
Addison Marks, Richfield
Lilly McCraw, Providence
Taylor McGuire, Denton
Miller Miller, Crouse
Jordan Mitchell, Greensboro
Jade Morris, Charlotte
Emery Morrison, Willard
Addison Murphy, Thomasville
Amanda Murtha, Wake Forest
Sarah Myers, Indian Trail
Sophia Norman, Millers Creek
Trey Nunnery, Autryville
Emerson O’Keefe, Wake Forest
Sadie Oliver, Shelby
Victoria Olvera, Hope Mills
Jimmy Owens, Jacksonville
Alena Oxendine, Red Springs
Kayla Oxendine, Shannon
Julia-Madison Pacetti, Concord
Nayely Pacheco, Clinton
Hannah Page, Raleigh
Liliana Palermo, Raleigh
Rosario Parada Hernandez, Wilmington
Zya Payne, Greensboro
Carolyn Pecci, Burnsville
Kaylyn Peele, Archdale
Kegan Perdue, Browns Summit
Meagan Pratt, Hampstead
Georgia Register, Dunn
Allie Reynolds, Hamptonville
Azyah Rhymer, Greensboro
Chloe Richardson, Linwood
Zaneya Roberson, Wilson
Kennedy Roberts, Greensboro
Audrey Robison, Cary
Sheronda Rone, Raeford
Evelyn Rosas, Kenly
Brooke Rose, Nashville
Sequoia Sady, Newport
Melissa Salavarria, Sanford
Josiah Saravia, Raleigh
Claire Saunders, High Point
Skylar Schlossberg, Wake Forest
Rachel Schuster, Waxhaw
Maria Scott, Fuquay-Varina
Makayla Sharp, Havelock
Sophia Sharpe, Burlington
Jacey Shelton, Norwood
Ellie Shoe, Mount Pleasant
Cheyenne Sizemore, Stokesdale
Peter Skelton, Valdese
Ella Sotaski, Greenville
Olivia Stegall, Marshville
Molly Corin Stevens, Raleigh
Elliott Stone, Dallas
Bailey Stormes, Raleigh
Thekraiat Sufan, Fuquay-Varina
Addy Sutherland, Weaverville
Se’Shaun Swindell, Badin
Angela Tate, Indian Land
Mattie Tavano, Hamptonville
Haya Thamer, High Point
Abigail Turner, Reidsvlle
Mackenzie Walser, Lexington
Sydney Warren, Concord
Haley Weil, Monroe
Julianna Welke, Cary
Julia Whitaker, Holly Springs
Jadyn White, Lincolnton
Anna Claire Whitesides, Dallas
Addison Whitley, New London
Tommi Wilder, Raleigh
Kenzie Williams, Franklinton
Sydney Williams, Concord
Sarah Wilson, Concord
Rebekah Winkler, Taylorsville
Miriam Wood, Hickory
Morgan Wood, Millers Creek
Savannah Wood, Middlesex
Mary Woodson, Greenville
Reese Wooten, Cary
Shyla Young, Fayetteville
Eleanor Zohn, Raleigh