Team Members at a Glance

Faculty Leaders:

Dr. Margaret Pentecost: As the leader of the team, I'm looking forward to the trip and working with our CEHD students and the children in the schools of Belize. Our team has worked hard to learn about the history, culture, schools, and government of Belize. Now, we are eager to teach the lessons that we have prepared. Thank you for following our adventures in Belize.

Nina Beck: I am an Instructor for the Teaching and Learning Department in the College of Education. I am honored to be a part of this wonderful learning experience and to take this journey with such a remarkable group of CEHD students. I am most excited about the opportunities to connect with children in Belize and make a difference in their lives, as I am sure they will ours.

Shavon Wagner:  As a Program Coordinator Senior in the CEHD Dean’s Office, I provide logistics and financial management for the trip. I am returning to Belize (this will be my second trip) and I am so excited to partake in this experience again. I enjoy working with children, taking photos, trying new things, and learning from others. 

Student Leaders:

Olivia Kaiser: I am a Senior at U of L. Last year, I participated in the ITE trip to Belize. My role was to teach at Independence Primary School and at Red Bank. This year, I will be using my experience to assist those going on the trip. My leadership role on this trip is to assist with planning shared and guided reading lessons, administering assessments and helping in the classrooms as needed. 

Tyler Morris: I am the Student Logistics Leader for the ITE Belize trip this year. After being a participant in the trip last year, I could not pass up an opportunity to go back to Belize and work with this program again! I hope that working more on the logistical side of things will give me valuable experience on the administrative side of teaching as I finish up my undergraduate experience and move closer to my career in education.

 Student Participants:

Heather Adkins: I am a senior in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I am so thankful for the opportunity to go to Belize with this group and I plan to make the best of the experience, learn as much as I can, and make a difference in the lives of my students. I am most excited to learn as much as I can about both the culture and my students!

Katie Benz: I am a senior in the CEHD. It has always been my dream to teach and to provide students with a great education. I am very excited and thankful to be able to come to Belize so I can work with the students and teachers there. I am most excited to get to meet all of the people in Belize and experience their culture.

Shanice Brown: I am a junior in the Elementary Education and LBD program at U of L. I love being outside and working with students and Belize gives me a chance to do both! I am so excited to learn as much as possible and work with another culture that is way out of my element.

Jamie Collins: I am a senior in the Early Childhood and Elementary Program. I love making a difference in the lives of children and watching them succeed, both in the classroom and out. I am a very energetic and outgoing person and I am so excited to see a new country, meet new people, and experience a new culture!

Liam Corley: I am a Secondary Spanish/ Middle School Math major. I want to be a positive influence on my students lives, to start a positive change. Teaching in this environment is the type of job I am considering after graduation. I am so excited (and nervous!) to have my first classroom teaching experience and I hope this will provide a solid foundation heading into my methods classes in the fall. 

Emily Dahl: I am an Elementary Education major with a concentration in Social Studies. I love working with kids and I hope to give my students the same love for learning I have. I am always looking for new strategies/ideas for teaching and can’t wait to work with my mentor teacher and develop relationships with my students.

Ashley Ferry: I am a senior majoring in Elementary/ Moderate and Severe Disabilities Education at U of L. I am a member of U of L’s dance team and have danced for 18 years. I love teaching math and I am a very hands-on teacher. I look forward to meeting all of the students and experiencing the culture. I am also interested to see what teaching outside of the U.S. will be like.

Sarah Flaherty: I am a junior majoring in Middle/Secondary English. I chose teaching because I love seeing students improve throughout the year. I had a lot of great teachers and was inspired by the difference they made in my life. I am so excited ot go to Belize, especially because this is my first experience traveling abroad. I am looking forward to new experiences and learning new things.

Gillian Griggs: I am a senior majoring in Middle School Mathematics. I want to instill the value of education into future generations and to help my students achieve their dreams, no matter how unreachable they seem. I love students, and I love making my lessons interactive and fun. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with these teachers and students, and to immerse myself into a new culture. 

Leah Hargett: Ever since I knew I wanted to be a teacher I had a feeling that I should teach abroad. I have always been very curious about other cultures and wanted to get more first hand experiences. When I was told about the international teaching experience UofL had to offer I was so excited! I am most excited to work with the students and teachers there and learn as much as I can from them!

Jessica Hettenbach: I am a senior majoring in Elementary Education and LBD. I love being around children. After I had my little girl, I decided I wanted to spend every day working with children, to become a teacher. I want to gain knowledge I can bring back to my own classroom through this experience. I am most excited about working and learning in a different cultural setting. 

Hannah Kvitle: I am a junior in Elementary Education and Moderate and Severe Disabilities. I chose teaching because it is my passion. I am completely invested in special needs children and how students learn. I am eager to work with the students and learn about their culture. I am excited to interact with the people of Belize and to see their beautiful country!

Casey Salzman: I am an Early Childhood and Elementary Education major. I love seeing kids learn new ideas and I find the experience of teaching them to be so rewarding. I look forward to seeing a new perspective on education and how to run a school.

Jared Smith: I am an Early Childhood and Elementary major. I am excited to learn about and experience a culture outside of what I have experienced here in Kentucky. I hope to develop my skills as a classroom teacher working with students from a culture so different from my own.  

Jasmine Thornton: I am a junior in Early Childhood program. I chose teaching because all students deserve a high quality education and I want to be the one to give that to them. I am excited to work kkknknknknkwith the students and to learn as much as I can about their culture.

Angela Witten: I am a senior with a major in the Elementary Education/ IECE program. I love seeing how students react when they discover something new about the world around them. I greatly enjoy interacting and watching children develop their personalities and who they are. I am excited to see what schools and education look like outside of the United States.