Scholar Films
Harun's most recent film, In the Name of the Son, is based on his experiences growing up in wartime Bosnia
Scholars Around the World
Two JKCF Scholars organize a 15-day study tour to Bolivia to explore the country’s political economy, peoples and rural development
Amy Myers
"The elements I had so loved about my Peace Corps experience, such as working with diverse populations, helping families and children living in poverty, and encouraging basic skills and achievement, are all present in my current job."
- Program: 2005 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
- Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
- Community College: none
- Four-year College or University: Coe College
- Graduate School: University of Arizona
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Education / Academia, Languages, Bilingual and Multicultural Education
- Other Interests: Childcare, Foreign Languages / International Study, Honor Society, Literature, Nonprofits, Tutoring / Mentoring, Volunteer Work, Writing / Journalism, Poetry and Creative Writing
Biography
After graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a near-perfect GPA from Coe College, Amy Myers taught life skills in secondary schools as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guyana and Nicaragua with the Peace Corps. "The projects I am most proud of are the ones students spearheaded," she says. "I helped them organize a book drive that brought in 800 books to their school library," in Guyana. She recalls the "powerful moment" when the students realized "what they themselves had done."
Back home, Amy built on her language and experience living in other cultures with a bilingual paraprofessional job in an elementary school kindergarten. Nearly all the children lived in poverty, one-fourth had recently arrived in this country, and 75% were Hispanic. It turned out to be more than a stop-gap job. Instead, she says, she had finally found her "true niche." She adds, "I'm lucky because what I love to do coincides with the strong sense of social responsibility I have always had."
Amy's colleagues say she's also good at it. Assistant Principal Guillermo Medina said Amy works "with great effectiveness" helping students improve their literacy, math and social skills and has "developed strong ties with the families" to encourage them to actively engage in their child's learning.
Ultimately, Amy wants to help strengthen early childhood programs and "develop curriculum and teaching techniques that best address the needs of bilingual children."
Other Scholars Like Amy
Ye Dam Lee
College Scholar
Harvard College
Cristina Toledo-Cornell
Graduate Scholar
Cornell University
Daniel Gomez
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
Stony Brook University
Luz Jimenez Vela
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
University of California, Berkeley