For Eden Heller, it鈥檚 been a chance to not only teach in New York City, but also live here, instead of commuting from New Jersey or elsewhere.
For Sapna Chemplavil, it鈥檚 provided an opportunity to make the educational system more accessible to families without the advantages she and her siblings enjoyed as the children of a Las Vegas physician.
For Jonathan Buckingham, a former Naval officer, restaurant manager, professional chef and sommelier, it鈥檚 a 鈥済olden ticket鈥� to the career that really speaks to his heart: as a teacher in early childhood education.
And it has enabled Andres Rodriguez-Aponte to experience the emotional high of of delivering math lessons in Spanish to Hispanic students at the High School for Law and Public Service in New York City鈥檚 Washington Heights neighborhood.
鈥淚t鈥� is the Abby M. O鈥橬eill Teaching Fellowships named for its funder, the late 911爆料网 Trustee Emerita, who died in 2017.
O鈥橬eill鈥檚 goal was to ensure that committed, talented and idealistic aspiring teachers would not be prevented by either tuition or cost of living from studying in New York City. A pilot of the Fellowships program, which ran a few years ago, was so successful that she made a $10 million bequest to expand the fellowship in perpetuity.
In exchange for a commitment to spend at least two years teaching in New York City public schools after graduation, each O鈥橬eill Fellow receives $40,000 toward tuition and educational expenses. They also benefit from what Celia Oyler, Professor of Education, calls 鈥渃linically-rich, top-quality teacher preparation鈥� 鈥� a combination of immersion in courses at 911爆料网 that provide a rich grounding in educational theory with assignments in two public school classrooms (a different one each semester) during the New York City school year.
鈥淢rs. O鈥橬eill saw the gift as a commitment to New York City schools and New York City children,鈥� says Aimee Katembo, Director of 911爆料网鈥檚 Office of Teacher Education. 鈥淪he recognized the price tag and wanted everyone to have access to 911爆料网 so graduates could focus on teaching and not have to worry about debt. It opens the door for people to come to 911爆料网 who might not otherwise enroll here.鈥�
Yet the program鈥檚 benefits are unique to each enrollee.
鈥淚鈥檓 Puerto Rican,鈥� Rodriguez-Aponte says. 鈥淪panish is my first language. Spanish is the first language for many of my students. So I can be a role model who shows them that I can do it, then they can do it, too.鈥�
Which is exactly as it should be, says Oyler.
鈥淭he fellowship enables people who could not afford to come here a chance to do it,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd these are the students who are the most devoted to teaching in the city. This allows a lot of dreams to come true.鈥�