Three College of Education and Human Development alumni are contributing to building their school community in three very different, yet impactful, ways. Earlier this year, Francis "Frank" Ridgway, Tabatha Castillo and Florenca Shaho - all graduates of the Temple Teacher Residency (TTR) program and all employed at George Washington High School in Northeast Philadelphia - were awarded a $2,500 grant during a professional development program organized by the Institute for Citizens and Scholars.  

The Temple Teacher Residency is an accelerated master's program that focuses on preparing mathematics, science, Spanish, and special education teachers for middle and high schools in the Philadelphia area. Students who take part in this residency program dedicate one year to their placement schools and complete additional coursework to earn their master's degrees. Additionally, graduates commit to working in the School District of Philadelphia for at least three years.  

Frank Ridgway, a math teacher, was excited that he could use the grant money to contribute to George Washington High School. 

"I was ecstatic to hear that we would be receiving the money because our teachers work tirelessly to engage our students and I knew the money would be put to good use," said Ridgway. 

With his portion of the grant funds, Ridgway is starting a marine biology club. The club will establish aquariums to study different species of coral, crustaceans and fish. The goal of this new program is to increase awareness of coral as indicator species, especially as it pertains to climate change; study water chemistry; examine microscopic and macroscopic organisms in the marine ecosystem; and learn proper marine animal husbandry for future generations.  

Ridgway recognizes the importance of contributing to the educational community. 

"Education is one of the pillars of a functioning society. We must invest in our children so that we produce adults who are well-rounded individuals, capable of not only existing within our society but contributing to it in a meaningful way," Ridgway explained. 

Florenca Shaho plans to use her portion of the award for school supplies. 

"I plan to use my portion of the award to ensure that I have enough supplies for my students to use in class. For example, I like to do hands-on activities during class, so I want to get multiple small whiteboards with markers which I can use as a way for my students to collaborate as well as have a hands-on activity in class," said Shaho. "Through the use of more interactive tools and supplies such as the small whiteboards, I believe that students will be more engaged and learn the material more efficiently since they can easily erase and rewrite. Also, the whiteboards will promote more collaboration among the students because it is much easier for students to work together on them rather than just paper." 

Tabatha Castillo, a high school Spanish teacher, has worked at George Washington for four years. With her portion of the money, she said she wants to take her students to Taller Puertorriqueño, a museum that showcases art, history and more to promote Puerto Rican culture. 

"This will help with student learning because they will become more informed and immersed in the language by witnessing the arts and even creating their own crafts which will also lead to the students becoming motivated to become bilingual speakers," noted Castillo. 

Each of the grant recipients acknowledges the role that the Temple Teacher Residency program played in their preparation to be a classroom educator. 

"The Temple Teacher Residency program fostered a strong community among all the participants," Shaho said. "Collaboration among participants was always something that was encouraged, which allowed me to gain, as well as share, important insights with the other participants. I believe that TTR was a great opportunity for me to gain knowledge on how to be prepared as a new teacher and facilitate the needs of my students." 

Castillo added, "TTR's program has allowed me to train beside a teacher and see the ropes of what it is to work in the educational field, which made the transition of becoming a teacher much smoother. I didn't feel overwhelmed or stressed as much because I already knew so much from the training process." 

Ridgway, Castillo and Shaho are living out the mission of the College of Education and Human Development. As teachers in the School District of Philadelphia, they are agents of change, fostering community and creating opportunities for excellence.