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