A sophomore middle grades science education major from Durham, N.C., Grady DuPree-Isaac decided to attend UNC Greensboro because of its proximity to his home, the size of the school, and the diversity within the School of Education.
The son of a retired middle school teacher, DuPree-Isaac’s mother was his inspiration to become a teacher himself.
He said, “If a kid was getting in trouble they would come to my mom. They loved her and my mom did a really good job of pouring out love.”
While many potential teachers shy away from middle school because of everything a student of that age faces, DuPree-Isaac embraces that and wants to be a resource for his students.
He said, “We were all middle schoolers that had our strange, awkward, terrible middle school phase, but I think it’s a really transformative time. They just need a lot of love.”
After having unpleasant experiences with science throughout high school, most people would think that DuPree-Isaac would want to stay away from the subject as a teacher. However, he wants to make sure that his students do not have those same experiences.
He has his mother to thank for that advice as well, saying, “My mom always told me to not teach something that you’re passionate about because you’ll make it boring. She said to challenge yourself and to teach something that makes you a little bit uncomfortable. So, I tried science. I came in challenging myself with something that was a little bit different.”
DuPree-Isaac wants to be the teacher who empowers his students and have them not feel like they are just a test score but people. So, science is where he landed.
He said, “I think science has such a special way of conducting people to do amazing things. When people are passionate about science, they can change the world.”
As a member of the Spartan Education Scholars program, a School of Education scholarship program for future teachers, DuPree-Isaac has been able to access internships earlier than some other education majors. That was a big selling point of the program for him.
He said, “Starting out with an internship your first semester is rare anywhere, but week seven in college? I was already in the classroom, interacting with kids and getting to know them, taking on leadership.”
DuPree-Isaac has been able to have two internships already during his time at UNCG, one at Lindley Elementary School and the other at Southern Guilford Middle School. These experiences allowed him to get an early look at what it is really like in a classroom. He saw first-hand a situation where a middle school student was struggling because they were having to take care of three siblings and not getting enough sleep. Seeing things like that has made DuPree-Isaac want to help solve problems.
The scholarship portion of the Spartan Education Scholars program was also important to him and has allowed him to attend school without a large debt. Participation in the UNCG Spartan Education Scholars program includes scholarships of up to $28,000.
DuPree-Isaac said, “The scholarship gets you into internships early, and it gets you connected to long-term teachers and administrators, and even students who have walked in your footsteps.
“I think it’s equipped me well to be a teacher. I’ve had the opportunity to meet people and to connect with other teachers. We have seminars and I get to talk with older students about what their experiences, like student teaching, are like – things that sound terrifying as a college freshman. But as I grow in the program, I’m becoming better equipped.”
The program also pairs students up with mentors, allowing participants to have support and guidance while they prepare to become teachers. The group holds seminars and social events to create bonds.
Outside of the classroom, DuPree-Isaac is heavily involved with a college ministry where he serves as the worship coordinator. He is also planning to study in Peru this summer. That study abroad trip will allow him to participate in service learning and interact with locals and the environment. He will take dance classes and hike in the wilderness.
DuPree-Isaac wants students who are considering UNCG to know that the school wants you to succeed.
He said, “They have so many academic and personal resources to ensure that we are successful. I think it’s a beautiful thing that more than 50% of the population is first-generation college students.”
When it comes to the School of Education, he feels that the program is truly about supporting and building up future teachers. He appreciates the work being done by the faculty to help him become the best teacher he can be.
DuPree-Isaac said, “It equips you to work with a variety of students. They do a really good job of breaking down the stigma surrounding education. We’re teachers and responsible for bringing education to the next generations. They do a great job of ensuring that we do not walk into a classroom feeling like we don’t know what we’re doing.”
As a student who is on a scholarship, DuPree-Isaac knows that there are others who gave to make that scholarship a reality, saying, “Their kindness to donate sets up success for a lot of students. The donors who chose to give their time and resources to ensuring that we will have teachers for generations to come, they’re doing such good work. Thank you!”
