Rally in Raleigh: Great Teachers, Future Leaders

Collegiettes, take a second and conjure up an image of a teacher who changed your life. Perhaps you picture a fifth grade science teacher who solidified your love for biology. Maybe you see an 11th grade history teacher who urged you to form your own political stance. Or, perhaps you are thinking of a current Wake Forest professor, one who’s helped you discover what you want to do with your life.

We spend eight out of the 12 months in a year in the classroom. We spend five out of the seven days in a week with our professors. I think I can venture to say that we spend more time with our professors than with our parents. Think about it.  

Last Saturday, April 20th, after months of planning and promotion, a group of Wake Forest students headed to Rally in Raleigh. The students represented Wake Forest’s chapter of Students for Education Reform (SFER). Rally in Raleigh, a SFER sponsored event, brought together students from North Carolina college campuses that are passionate about closing the academic achievement gap. In addition to our awesome Wake Forest SFER chapter, chapters from University of North Carolina, East Carolina University and Duke University were also in attendance.

The Rally boasted the tagline “Great Teachers For Future Leaders.” Providing equal education for all students regardless of their race or wealth is the core of SFER’s mission. The Rally’s mission? To grab the attention of community stakeholders and political leaders who have the resources to help close gaps in academic achievement.

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For those (like myself) who could not attend the Rally, have no fear. I chatted with Wake Forest SFER president, Natalie Fensterstock (’14), about the experience. According to Fensterstock, the Rally in Raleigh focused on “celebrating the teachers who are able to bring out the best in their students, priming them for their roles as future leaders.”

When asked to describe the event in a word, Fensterstock chose “inspiring.” She recounted the Rally as a laid-back gathering where peers and professors shared stories of the profound impact of great teachers in their lives. SFER member Kristen Young (’14), an aspiring Elementary Education teacher, echoed this sentiment, “It was a great day to reflect on why teachers are so important to our growth and development not only as students, but as people.” 

Fensterstock found the story of Ms. Brooks, a past North Carolina Teacher of the Year, the most poignant. “She [Ms. Brooks] spoke at great length about individual students and how THEY impacted HER, and not necessarily the other way around,” said Fensterstock. “She reminded me why it is so important to have thoughtful and reflective individuals in the teaching field.”

“This concept is incredibly powerful – to recognize that influence is a constant exchange between student and teacher, and not a one-way street – especially in being able to reach a diverse group of students with unique hurdles to overcome.” 

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Not all students can afford the same caliber of education. For most children, primary education is mainly based on zip code and location. For most adults, college education is largely based on tuition. Thus, where one goes to school may be a question of socioeconomics. SFER aims to eradicate the inequality among educational opportunities. It is an issue that Fensterstock describes as a “complicated one, one which deserves intense focus and energy. Education is at the crux of the current American problem.”

When asked about her own education, Fensterstock replied, “I was fortunate enough to have choice.”

As I sit here at my desk in the ZSR, I reflect on a quote from Young, where she told me, “I am sure that most Wake Forest students can remember at least one teacher that had a positive impact on them and pushed them to be where they are today.”

Like Young, I was fortunate enough to have quite a few of those teachers. Like Fensterstock, I was also fortunate enough to have a choice. Here I am, at Wake Forest University, an incredibly intellectually stimulating place where I’ve met teachers who have changed my life and perhaps, who’s lives I have changed as well.

Shouldn’t everyone have this choice?