EdSurge Voices of Change Writing Fellowship

EdSurge Voices of Change Writing Fellowship

Over the years, EdSurge has explored how school models, instructional practices and the experiences of students and educators are changing. We examine these changes in a number of ways — through journalism, storytelling and research — and we believe that the educators living through these experiences each day have the deepest understanding of these issues. That’s why EdSurge launched the Voices of Change Writing Fellowship.

Each year, the fellowship brings together a diverse cohort of K-12 educators to reflect and share about their experiences. We highlight new voices from across the country, featuring first-person essays from educators and school leaders tackling timely and relevant challenges with real solutions. Above all, we set out to give educators space to reflect, share and learn and an opportunity to amplify their voices, perspectives and experiences.

Below, learn more about our current fellows, our alumni fellows and how to apply to become a 2023-24 Voices of Change Writing Fellow.

Current Fellows

Our 2022-23 Voices of Change writing fellows — our second annual cohort — represents a wide range of experiences, backgrounds, identities and perspectives. Over the course of the program, our fellowship editors have been working with our fellows to take their stories from pitch to publication and to elevate their voices about the issues that matter most to them.

These fellows were selected through a competitive application process and have published first-person essays about how their needs have changed, how their students’ needs have changed and how their school community has supported student and teacher well-being as challenges in education persist.

Our current cohort of fellows includes eight talented educators teaching at public, charter, independent and parochial schools, from Hawaii to Michigan.

Whitney Aragaki

Role: Biology teacher
School: Waiākea High School
City, State: Hilo, Hawai‘i
Years in Education: 13 years

Whitney Aragaki (she/they) is a high school biology and environmental science teacher at Waiākea High School in Hilo, Hawai‘i. Aragaki supports students to learn through a lens of abundance that honors place, people and cultures. Their teaching focuses on conversations, practices and systems that sustain the intimate relationship between public education, community and the environment. Aragaki is the 2022 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year and a 2022 National Teacher of the Year Finalist.

How Desk Chairs Became a Lesson About What We Deserve in Public Schools
Voices

How Desk Chairs Became a Lesson About What We Deserve in Public Schools

In a Post-Roe World, Students Deserve Access to Fact-Based Science Education
Voices

In a Post-Roe World, Students Deserve Access to Fact-Based Science Education

What My Girls Camp Reveals About the Promise of Women in STEM and the Dangers of Online Hate
Voices

What My Girls Camp Reveals About the Promise of Women in STEM and the Dangers of Online Hate

To Create Safer Spaces for Students, Teachers of Color Must Reckon With Our Settler Identity
Voices

To Create Safer Spaces for Students, Teachers of Color Must Reckon With Our Settler Identity

Katerra Billy

Role: Diverse learner educator
School: KIPP East Academy in New Orleans
City, State: New Orleans, Louisiana
Years in Education: Eight years

Katerra Billy (she/her) is a versatile professional with over eight years of experience in education and education-adjacent roles. Billy is in her third year as a diverse learner educator at KIPP East Academy in New Orleans. As a 2021-22 SELF NOLA Neurodiversity Fellow and Teach for America Leadership for Educational Equity Policy Fellow, Billy has grown in her expertise in exceptional learners and the educational landscape. She received her master’s degree from New York University and a recently obtained Master of Arts in teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University. Billy also enjoys reading, traveling, cooking with and for loved ones, music and cultural events.

I Need My Professional Goals to Matter to My School Leaders. Without It, It Is Hard to Stay in the Classroom.
Opinion

I Need My Professional Goals to Matter to My School Leaders. Without It, It Is Hard to Stay in the Classroom.

My Students Deserve a Classroom. Instead, I Teach Them in a Hallway.
Opinion

My Students Deserve a Classroom. Instead, I Teach Them in a Hallway.

My School’s Efforts to Support Teacher Well-Being Fell Short. Here’s How We Changed It.
Opinion

My School’s Efforts to Support Teacher Well-Being Fell Short. Here’s How We Changed It.

How Spending Downtime With My Students Has Dramatically Reshaped My Teaching
Opinion

How Spending Downtime With My Students Has Dramatically Reshaped My Teaching

Isabel Bozada-Jones

Role: Deeper learning coordinator
District: Reynoldsburg City Schools
City, State: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Years in Education: Eight years

Isabel Bozada-Jones (she/her) is the deeper learning coordinator with Reynoldsburg City Schools. Bozada-Jones began her career as a teacher at Herbert Mills STEAM Elementary in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, where she spent her days building robots and coding with elementary school students. She is pursuing her doctorate in education at Ohio State University. Bozada-Jones was born and raised in Beavercreek, Ohio, home of the Battling Beavers. She now lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, son, and their cat.

To Improve a Child's Education, We Must Be Willing to Let Old Practices Die
Voices

To Improve a Child's Education, We Must Be Willing to Let Old Practices Die

Students Want a Better Education Experience. First, Teachers Must Master Deeper Learning.
Voices

Students Want a Better Education Experience. First, Teachers Must Master Deeper Learning.

EdTech Promised to Change How Students Learn, But the Real Revolution Lies Within Us
Voices

EdTech Promised to Change How Students Learn, But the Real Revolution Lies Within Us

Giving Birth to My Son Taught Me That Change Is Hard. Here Is Why Teachers Must Adapt Anyway.
Voices

Giving Birth to My Son Taught Me That Change Is Hard. Here Is Why Teachers Must Adapt Anyway.

Alice Domínguez

Role: English language arts and yoga and mindfulness teacher
School: Mater Dei Catholic High School
City, State: Chula Vista, California
Years in Education: 15 years

Alice Domínguez (she/her) earned a Master of Arts in critical literacy at San Diego State University and has over 15 years of teaching experience. Presently, she teaches English language arts and yoga and mindfulness at Mater Dei Catholic High School in Chula Vista, California. Her students live on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. In her English class, students explore diverse literature and research the legacies of local and international policies on their transborder communities. She loves encouraging her students to publish and share their writing with authentic audiences.

We Can’t Keep ChatGPT Out of the Classroom, so Let’s Address the ‘Why’ Behind Our Fears
Voices

We Can’t Keep ChatGPT Out of the Classroom, so Let’s Address the ‘Why’ Behind Our Fears

My Students Have No Hope for the Future. It’s Up to Us to Show Them A Path Forward.
Voices

My Students Have No Hope for the Future. It’s Up to Us to Show Them A Path Forward.

My School Learned the Hard Way That Edtech Saves Time, But It Can't Solve Human Problems
Voices

My School Learned the Hard Way That Edtech Saves Time, But It Can't Solve Human Problems

Why I’m Integrating the World Cup Into My English Class, Despite My Disinterest in Sports
Voices

Why I’m Integrating the World Cup Into My English Class, Despite My Disinterest in Sports

Patrick Harris II

Role: English teacher and dean of students
School: The Roeper School
City, State: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Years in Education: Eight years

Patrick Harris II (he/him) is a middle school English teacher and dean of students at The Roeper School in Detroit, as well as the author of “The First Five: A Love Letter to Teachers,” a memoir with a call to action. Harris hails from Detroit and identifies as a Black queer writer and storyteller. He has won multiple national teaching awards for his leadership and innovation in the classroom, including recognition from the National Council of Teachers of English, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the International Literacy Association. Teaching is only part of who Harris is; he is also a big brother, a cat dad and a lover of all things horror.

Teaching Was My Dream. Now I Wonder If It Is Stunting My Other Passions.
Voices

Teaching Was My Dream. Now I Wonder If It Is Stunting My Other Passions.

Competition Can Motivate, Encourage and Inspire Students. But It Can Also Harm Them.
Opinion

Competition Can Motivate, Encourage and Inspire Students. But It Can Also Harm Them.

Many Eyes Are on the Teachers Who Leave. What About the Ones Who Stay?
Voices

Many Eyes Are on the Teachers Who Leave. What About the Ones Who Stay?

I Never Wanted to Be a School Administrator. Here’s Why I Changed My Mind.
Opinion

I Never Wanted to Be a School Administrator. Here’s Why I Changed My Mind.

Matt Homrich-Knieling

Role: Youth organizer and former English language arts teacher
Organization: MIStudentsDream
City, State: Detroit, Michigan
Years in Education: Six years

Matt Homrich-Knieling (he/him) is a youth organizer, writer and parent based in Detroit. Before becoming a youth organizer, Homrich-Knieling taught middle school English language arts for six years and was awarded Middle School Educator of the Year in 2019 by the Michigan Association of Middle School Educators. As a youth organizer for MIStudentsDream, he centers and practices culturally sustaining pedagogies, restorative justice and project-based learning.

Want to Humanize Classrooms? Take a Page From Youth Organizers.
Voices

Want to Humanize Classrooms? Take a Page From Youth Organizers.

Tired of the Same Old Professional Development? Let Students Lead
Voices

Tired of the Same Old Professional Development? Let Students Lead

Yes, Schools Need to Hire More Counselors. But They Also Need to Work on Themselves.
Voices

Yes, Schools Need to Hire More Counselors. But They Also Need to Work on Themselves.

I Used to Struggle With Where to Send My Kids to School. Now I Struggle With Sending Them at All.
Opinion

I Used to Struggle With Where to Send My Kids to School. Now I Struggle With Sending Them at All.

Avery Thrush

Role: Science teacher
School: STEM Prep Academy
City, State: Nashville, Tennessee
Years in Education: 3 years

Avery Thrush (she/her) is a former sixth grade science teacher in Nashville, Tennessee. She is passionate about making science accessible to culturally and linguistically diverse students. A Wake Forest University graduate, her professional goals include working to improve education systems through data and research-driven policy implementation. Most recently, she obtained her master’s degree in education from Lipscomb University.

Introverts Can Be Good Teachers, Too. We Just Need a Moment of Silence.
Voices

Introverts Can Be Good Teachers, Too. We Just Need a Moment of Silence.

They Say Teaching Gets Easier After the First Year. What Happens When It Doesn't?
Voices

They Say Teaching Gets Easier After the First Year. What Happens When It Doesn't?

My Sister Taught Me to Have Empathy for Students in Middle School
Voices

My Sister Taught Me to Have Empathy for Students in Middle School

As a Naive College Student, I Fell for the Mission of Teach for America
Opinion

As a Naive College Student, I Fell for the Mission of Teach for America

Corey Winchester

Role: History and social sciences teacher and staff coordinator of Students Organized Against Racism (SOAR)
School: Evanston Township High School
City, State:Evanston, Illinois
Years in Education: 14 years

Corey Winchester (he/him) is a locally, regionally and nationally recognized educator with over a decade of K-20 expertise. He primarily serves as a history and social sciences teacher and the staff coordinator of Students Organized Against Racism (SOAR) at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois. He has various roles with Breakthrough Collaborative, Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the Aspen Institute's Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship. Winchester received a Bachelor of Science in education and social policy and a Master of Arts in learning sciences from Northwestern University. He is currently working toward his doctorate in learning sciences at Northwestern University. Additionally, he obtained a Master of Education in cultural and educational policy studies from Loyola University Chicago.

What I Learned From My Students Who Became Teachers
Voices

What I Learned From My Students Who Became Teachers

We Must Teach Black History Like Our Lives Depend on It
Voices

We Must Teach Black History Like Our Lives Depend on It

Beyoncé Reminded Me That Teaching Is an Art. This Is Why We Must Invest in Teacher Prep Programs.
Voices

Beyoncé Reminded Me That Teaching Is an Art. This Is Why We Must Invest in Teacher Prep Programs.

We Can Build a Better World for Our Students, But Teachers Can’t Do It Alone.
Opinion

We Can Build a Better World for Our Students, But Teachers Can’t Do It Alone.

Alumni

2021-22

In 2021, EdSurge selected seven fellows through a competitive application process and published their stories throughout the 2021-22 school year. The inaugural cohort of fellows includes:


Kelli Kauakanilehua Adams, English teacher at Kealakehe High School in Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i

Geoff Carlisle, eighth grade science teacher at KIPP Austin College Prep in Austin, Texas

Deitra Colquitt, co-principal at Pershing Elementary School in University City, Missouri
Aisha Douglas, academic dean at Achievement First Brooklyn High School in Brooklyn, New York
César Martín Moreno, science teacher at San Francisco International High School in San Francisco, California
Helen Thomas, the Office of Indian Education's professional learning specialist for the Arizona Department of Education in Phoenix, Arizona
Jennifer Yoo-Brannon, instructional coach at El Monte Union High School District in El Monte, California

Fellowship Editors

Marisa Busch (she/her) is an editor at EdSurge, where she works with fellows, contributors, columnists and reporters on stories about how teaching and learning is changing. Previously she was a research manager at EdSurge and before that, she was a teacher, coach and curriculum developer in schools for over a decade. Busch holds a Bachelor of Arts in music composition and creative writing from New York University and a Master of Science in learning disabilities from Hunter College.

Cobretti D. Williams, Ph.D., (he/they) is a fellowship editor for the Voices of Change Fellowship at EdSurge. Cobretti has nearly 10 years of experience in higher education administration, research and editorial production for academic journals and higher education media sites. He received his doctoral degree in higher education from Loyola University of Chicago.

How to Apply

The application for our next cohort of fellows is open. Interested in applying to be an EdSurge Voices of Change writing fellow? Here’s what you need to know:

The EdSurge Voices of Change Writing Fellowship brings together a diverse group of educator fellows interested in sharing their experiences through narrative storytelling. This opportunity is open to individuals who are currently full-time, school-based K-12 educators (e.g., classroom teachers, instructional coaches, counselors, librarians, etc.) or school leaders (e.g., principals) in the United States (including U.S. territories). The application deadline is Friday, April 21, at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Still deciding? Here are five reasons to apply for the fellowship. Have questions? Check out our FAQ and if you can’t find the answer, reach us at fellowship@edsurge.com.

Apply here

Interested in sharing your story but not ready to commit to the fellowship? Pitch your idea here. You can also sign up for our PreK-12 newsletter to learn about future EdSurge opportunities.

The Voices of Change fellowship is supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. EdSurge maintains editorial independence over all of our journalism, in keeping with our ethics statement. This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Learn more about EdSurge operations, ethics and policies here. Learn more about EdSurge supporters here.
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