Meet Ms. Ethridge!
Ms. Ethridge's Fast(ish) Five!
- Foundation: I grew up all across the East Coast of the United States. I've lived in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Minnesota, New Jersey, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and now Colorado! (My experiences living in so many regions, my verbal accent can vary!)
- Education: I attended High Point University located in High Point, North Carolina--home of the Panthers! During my undergraduate studies, I greatly enjoyed my science courses and labs, teaching methods courses, and french classes. I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education but continued on to gain my Masters of Education in STEM Education with High Point University. Prior to joining the Byers team in 2014, I taught sixth grade science and social studies in High Point, North Carolina.
- Passions: I am deeply passionate about serving all students through inquiry-based instruction and hands-on experiences that broaden their "scientific horizons" and confidence as scientists in the 21st-century. Externally to my career, I am passionate about environmental stewardship and preservation.
- Hobbies: In my free-time I enjoy listening to live music, exploring a new trail, camping out under the stars, reading, coloring, and painting.
- Experiences: I believe experiential learning can leave a lasting impression. In my classroom, I aim to cultivate experiences where students gain strong understandings of content in memorable ways. A few of my most formative experiences are listed below :
- Camp Jewell YMCA : I began attending summer camp in middle school, leaving my hometown for two weeks at a time each summer until the age of 16. As a young adult, I worked as a ranch counselor, adventure trip leader, and high ropes coordinator prior to beginning my teaching career.
- Space Camp: Teacher Academy : Days after my undergraduate graduation ceremony, I attended Space Camp Teacher Academy with a group of pre-service teachers to experience astronaut training, centrifugal forces, and even scuba diving to increase our instruction of earth science!
- LEGO Education : Throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies, I gained great expertise in using LEGO Education products in the elementary and middle school classroom. Additionally I worked with LEGO to design and test curriculum for newly released early-childhood LEGO sets.
- National Academy of Advanced Teacher Education (NAATE) : During the summer of 2017, I was accepted and began my work with NAATE to improve my instructional expertise and my leadership capacity from the classroom. My experience at NAATE has revitalized my passion for teaching and leading from my classroom for many more years to come!
- Falcons without Borders (FWOB) : I serve as the STEM Committee Advisor for DSST Byers: Falcons without Borders (FWOB) Club. Our club is founded on the importance of national and international stewardship supported by a keen focus on STEM, Culture, Leadership, and Service.