Idaho Education Association’s Lizette Carrillo was recently named a 2024 Global Learning Fellow by the National Education Association Foundation.
Carrillo, an English language development specialist at East Canyon Elementary in Nampa, teaches students in kindergarten through fifth grade that hail from places all over the globe, including Mexico, various African nations, Ukraine and Columbia, among others.
“I love it,” said Carrillo. “Anything I can do to help myself and my kids grow, I’m there.”
Through the Global Learning Fellowship, Carrillo will spend a year building her awareness in global competency, a multi-dimensional construct that will allow her to bring a combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to the intercultural situations in her classroom. Fellows learn to integrate global competency into daily classroom instruction, advocate for global competencies in their schools and districts, and help students thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
The Fellowship is a competitive program and all applications were reviewed by educators.
As part of the curriculum, the Fellows will be engaged in online coursework, webinars, reading and reflection, a two-day professional development conference, and an international field study. Upon completion of the program, the Fellows become members of an active, 450-plus person alumni group that supports continued growth and leadership.
Carrillo, in her fifth year as an educator, said her principal and administration have been very supportive of her application and her work as a fellow. As a paraprofessional, she’s been involved with the union since she started her career, serving as a building representative as part of the Vallivue Education Association.
This month, she travels to NEA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., to meet and collaborate with the other Global Learning Fellows. She’s particularly excited to build more skills for creating a welcoming learning environment for each student.
“I really appreciate this opportunity because I know it will help my kids so much,” she said.
