Elementary Education Interns Make A Difference For Good

May 1, 2023

It’s been said the influence of teachers extends beyond the classroom, well into the future. Teachers have the opportunity to influence and change their students’ lives for the better. Elementary education seniors Maggie Black, Macy Palmer, Lauren VanFleet, and Jordana Volpe influenced their students for good in their student teaching internships this semester. 

 As part of the elementary education degree requirements, every student completes an internship before graduation where each is paired with a teacher in a Hillsborough County elementary school. Maggie, Macy, Lauren, and Jordana interned at Seminole Heights Elementary School in various grade levels with different teachers. All four girls received outstanding recognition from their cooperating teachers, who described them as “warm and caring,” “passionate and loving,” “exceeding expectations,” and “possessing enthusiastic demeanor that ignites students’ desire to learn and succeed.” Cooperating teachers affirmed that these girls are extraordinarily prepared and qualified to step into the teacher role.

 These future teachers stood out not only to their cooperating teachers, but also to Dr. Francine Lazarus, Principal of Seminole Heights Elementary, and Hillsborough County district staff for exceptional performance and character.

“These four are the best I’ve seen in a long time, all of them are incredible,” said Dr. Francine Lazarus about our students. 

 Hillsborough County district staff echoed similar sentiments as representatives gave each intern high marks in walk-through evaluations, tremendously impressed with the caliber of the Florida College interns.

 Now preparing to graduate and teach in classrooms of their own, Maggie, Macy, Lauren, and Jordana enter the school system empowered to change lives as they educate young minds. All four will graduate from Florida College with state educator certification in Elementary Education with Reading and ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) endorsements. Students receive this certification automatically through the Elementary education program at Florida College.

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