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Published by Maranatha Wall, 2019-05-13 15:56:54

PFS S19 Newsletter

PFS S19 Newsletter

MAY 2019 | VOL. 3

The Collaborator

Contents Program in Education
Partners For Success
2 A Note from the Chair
Dr. Susan R. Wynn Spring Newsletter

3 Innovation in the Field 7 Senior Spotlight
Josphat Lowoi Kristina Smith

4/5 Life, Art after Crest Street 8 Senior Spotlight
Anthony Patterson James Rees
6 Tech Talk
PeerKonnect with Ray Liu 9 Classics and AmeriCorps
Kate Davenport

10 Inside Education
Student Group Members

11 Looking Back
Maranatha Wall

THE COLLABORATOR | 2

A Note From the Program in Education Chair

In this issue of The Collaborator, students share By studying Greek and Roman society, she hopes

snapshots of their amazing and inspiring journeys to help “rectify and contextualize elements of

that touch or connect with Program in Education ancient history that have been lost, ultimately

(PiE) and Partners For Success (PFS). The stories in removing some of their power as tools of

this edition are about creating new spaces, oppression.”

inventing new tools, and making art—though each InsideAn article by the leadership team of
narrative varies, all are about journeys of Education concludes the student features of the
inspiration and aspiration.

  fourth edition of The Collaborator. This Duke

First-year student Josphat Lowoi describes co- student group was officially recognized as a club
in 2016. Their mission includes creating a campus
Lewin Schoolfounding the in Northern Kenya as a

part of his commitment to giving back, not just to space for people who are interested in education,

the Noiwet village where he grew up but also to whether it is through teaching, policy, or

the greater region. Innovator and graduating technology. Dr. David Malone serves as the
senior Ray Liu discusses the development of his
advisor for Inside Education.

startup, PeerKonnect, a technology tool that helps

high school students locate and schedule peer-

tutoring sessions with one another. He is already These stories underscore similar themes, including

exploring ways that PeerKonnect can help to the desire to express gratitude, the value of

mediate some of the effects of educational relationships, and the aspiration to make a

inequity. difference, if not necessarily in outcomes,

  definitely in the process. As Kristina observes, “…

In "Life, Art after Crest Street," artist Anthony being present can sometimes be the most
important step…because it is by being present
Patterson shares not only a look at his art but also
that meaningful relationships form, self-esteem is
his perspective as a former tutee. Anthony, who is
boosted, and children remember that learning can
from the Crest Street community, explains that
be fun.” I concur.
when he was child “having Duke students as tutors
 
coolprovided a touch of …” He also expresses his
Please enjoy this edition and join me in thanking
appreciation for the Crest Street community,
the people who made it possible through sharing
including the afterschool center, a vibrant program
their stories. Thanks also to all of the students
that continues to welcome Durham students and and faculty who participated in service-learning

PFS tutors every year. education courses this year. Special thanks go to

Maranatha Wall and Kate Davenport for not only

Duke seniors Kristina Smith and James Rees their outstanding work on this particular project

present their advice for students taking PiE but also for their everyday commitment to

service-learning courses and provide a glimpse students, faculty, and community members.

into their longer-term plans. Kristina’s goals  

include eventually becoming a juvenile public Please do remain in contact with the Program in

defender while James is considering teaching Education as you transition into the summer and

middle school and becoming a guidance move forward into the next phase of your journey.

counselor. We welcome the opportunity to feature your story

in future editions of The Collaborator, so we hope

AmeriCorps member Kate Davenport relays her to hear from you!

plans for 2019-20, which include entering a  

master’s program in Classics and ultimately Warmest regards,

pursuing a Ph.D.   

Dr. Susan R. Wynn

Director, Program in Education

THE COLLABORATOR | 3

Innovation in the Field

Josphat Lowoi, co-founder of the Lewin School

I grew up in Noiwet, a rural part of Northern Currently, Lewin School has a population of
Kenya. Lack of access to quality education about 200 students, five staff members, and
coupled with residents’ misperceptions about seven teachers. In addition to promoting access
education has contributed to a vicious circle of to quality education, Lewin is rethinking
poverty that has been endemic of life there. education by exploring ways of unlocking
Students privileged enough to attend school important aspects of school life left out by the
grapple with numerous challenges. They learn in existing educational models, especially the arts.
makeshift classrooms: sitting on rocks, a We start school with a morning song and
chalkboard leaning against a tree, a teacher in incorporate creativity throughout the school day.
front, a few school supplies scattered in the
dust. My experiences with Duke’s Program in
Education service-learning classes – Education
Most students attend these makeshift schools 101 and Education 240S – has been insightful
because of the lunch programs provided by and richly valuable in a myriad of ways. My own
NGOs. However, once these lunch programs are class-based research on Culturally-Responsive
terminated, dropout rates increase and the Pedagogy was the highlight of my experience. I
schools become deserted. Therefore, out of a learned that innovative instructional design
need for a longer-lasting solution that ensures appreciates historical injustices and more
access to quality education, change of views on complex sociopolitical factors that contribute
education, and diversification of pathways to towards students’ unpreparedness to do higher
prosperity and, ultimately, reduced levels of order thinking, like analytical reading and
poverty, in 2016 my brother and I co-founded writing. These experiences and insights continue
Lewin School. to be valuable as I craft programs that ensure
Lewin School becomes a model institution that
Having had the privilege of studying in inspires infinite pathways to prosperity for its
prestigious institutions such as Lenana School in students.
Nairobi and African Leadership Academy in
South Africa, co-founding Lewin School and
scaling it up, is my way of giving back, not just
to the Noiwet village but to the region at large.
I hope to use my passion and experiences to see
a new educational reality in my hometown and
beyond.

"...co-founding Lewin School, and
scaling it up, is my way of giving
back: not just to the Noiwet village
but to the region at large. I hope to use
my passion and experiences to see a
new educational reality..."

Co-founder Josphat Lowoi
Top right picture: Students at
the Lewin School

THE COLLABORATOR | 4

Life, Art after Crest Street:
Anthony Patterson

A Crest Street Tutorial Project
Alum Shares His Journey + Art

Tell me about your time at Crest Street. Crest Street traveled up and down the East Coast.
With each trip, we learned history, culture, and had
First of all, I'm from the Crest Street community. a great time. Some of the cities we visited are
To have resources literally up the street from D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Jamestown,
home means that I was never without help. and even the Everglades. I am forever grateful for
Familiar faces, family, and friends all those trips.
contributed to an encouraging workspace and a
comfortable learning environment. As a child, "Actively pursuing my dreams is my
having Duke students as tutors provided a touch greatest accomplishment yet. And I'm
of "cool," especially if they were athletes. I still going." -Anthony Patterson
could say "my tutor plays basketball for Duke."
We also traveled a lot through the program’s
summer trips.

Photos above were taken by Phillip Loken

ABOUT THE ART:

//"Hickstown / Crest Street : We're here for a reason" is about the history of the Crest Street
community. It's a small historically black neighborhood on Durham’s west side, just blocks away from
Duke's West Campus. In the 70’s, my grandfather, with the help of other community leaders, filed a
lawsuit against the NC DOT and the Federal Highway Administration over the discriminatory
construction of the Durham Freeway. They fought and won the case. The result was a redesigned
highway, and relocation of the entire neighborhood. I grew up in this neighborhood after the
changes. The series includes three large paintings, audio clips, and an installation with books about the
community change.//

THE COLLABORATOR | 5

Crest Street | 2 I've just finished exhibiting work in Leland,
NC, called "The Perspective of the Others,"
What have you been up to since  and am planning exhibitions for the rest of
graduating from Crest Street Tutorial the year and 2020.
Project?
Any words of wisdom for current Crest Street
I went on to receive my BFA in Painting from students?
the University of North Carolina-Greensboro
in 2017. I've been an artist my whole life. At If I were to speak to students who are currently in
times, I dived into science and wanted to the program, I would tell them that it's truly a
explore other fields of study, but art blessing to be a part of Crest Street. It gives you
remained the center of my creativity. After focus, discipline, exposure, and love in an
graduating from college I jumped head-first environment that cultivates success. Not too many
into my career with solo and group people can say they have the tools that you are
exhibitions throughout North Carolina and given. When you graduate, think back to those days
outside the state. I've had a couple of artist and remember that you came a long way.
residencies at Power Plant Gallery in
downtown Durham and at Artspace in
Raleigh. 

ABOUT THE ART:

// My recent work is entitled "422 S. 7th Street,
Wilmington, NC". This work is about the
psychological connection we have with spaces.
More specifically, the eerie feeling of standing in a
place that “once was.” This diptych attempts to
convey my emotions when I stood in the exact
location of where Wilmington’s Daily Record “once
was.”
 
The Daily Record served as Wilmington, NC’s only
black newspaper in the late 19th Century. In 1898,
white supremacists burned the building down in
response to an article that denounced stereotypical
rapist tropes imposed on black men. This act of
terrorism was also partially in response to the rise of
black enterprise and black political power
throughout the city. Not only was the Daily Record
burned down, but other prominent black businesses
and properties were as well. Over 300 people were
either killed or forced to leave Wilmington during
the coup d'état. //

Photos to the right were taken by Lindy Schoenborn for the Black On Black Project

THE COLLABORATOR | 6

Tech Talk: PeerKonnect

Ray Liu, Founder and CEO of PeerKonnect The idea behind PeerKonnect came when
Founder/CEO, and Duke senior, Ray Liu,
PeerKonnect is an educational technology startup experienced the numerous benefits of peer
that sells peer tutoring software to high schools. tutoring firsthand back when he was tutoring
PeerKonnect’s software makes it easy for students others in physics. He co-founded a Google
within the same school to find and schedule peer form-based peer tutoring program that
tutoring sessions with each other and enables reached over 20% of his high school. This
faculty to oversee all program activity and work, and the desire to impact more schools,
manage a great peer tutoring program. inspired PeerKonnect.

Research suggests peer tutoring is one of the So far, PeerKonnect has sold to seven
most cost-effective ways for students to learn, partner high schools across four states.
with many social and emotional benefits for both PeerKonnect tripled the number of students
tutors and tutees as well, but schools struggle to helped through peer tutoring at Woodward
implement efficient, sustainable programs due to Academy in Atlanta, with 20% of the
the labor-intensive nature behind the logistics students that had sessions increasing their
required to set one up. grade by a full letter grade. Ms. Robinson,
the peer tutoring coordinator at Woodward
said: “PeerKonnect has been a huge help; it’s
easy to navigate and gives me everything I
need to manage my school’s program.”

"PeerKonnect’s overall goal is to PeerKonnect’s overall goal is to constantly
constantly listen to schools and their listen to schools and their needs and see
needs and see what technology they what technology they can provide to aid
can provide to aid students and students and teachers. For example, it is
teachers." -Ray Liu currently testing a feature where tutors can
post study guides other students can access
and is planning on launching a mobile app at
the start of next school year. In the future,
PeerKonnect also has aspirations to connect
students between higher- and lower-
achieving schools to help tackle educational
inequity.

@PeerKonnect
PeerKonnect
Website: PeerKonnect.org

Founder Ray Liu presenting at a school coalition conference

THE COLLABORATOR | 7

Kristina Smith

Senior Highlight

Course of study and Partners For Success
community sites:

Public Policy major, Education minor, Human Rights Certificate
Crest Street Tutorial Project, Lyon Park CommUNITY Scholars,
Lakewood Elementary School

Image Credit: The Chronicle at Duke University Yet, what I think is important to remember, and
also what I will hold on to, is that“tangible
Why Program in Education? good” does not necessarily only come in the
forms of better test scores or getting all of the
During my first semester at Duke, I was lucky answers correct. Through service-learning, I
enough to stumble into a Writing 101 called have learned that being present can
“Land of the Free.” In this class, we learned sometimes be the most important step you can
about the rise of mass incarceration in our take, because it is by being present that
country, including the impact of the school-to- meaningful relationships form, self-esteem is
prison pipeline on this increase. I was boosted, and children remember that learning
immediately struck by the importance of can be fun.
educational equity, especially for poor
students of color, which led me to pursue the Next steps for you, both with education and
Education minor. life in general?

Favorite moments with learners and Next year, I plan to work within the
professors? juvenile/criminal justice system at a
local/state government level to better learn
I will never forget my first service-learning the system that is stifling the economic, social,
experience with my learner, Ramone. He loved and political opportunities of Black and Brown
math and hated to read, unfortunately like people across the country. Eventually, I would
many of the young boys I have tutored through like to be a juvenile public defender in order to
PFS who do not believe they have strong prevent young people from entering the system
reading skills. Yet, every Monday and to begin with. Instead, I would like to provide
Wednesday we would open up our Junie B. them with community support and resources,
Jones book and pick up right where we left off. which often begins with their schools.
I’d like to think he gained some confidence in
his reading and comprehension abilities as we Parting advice for new PFS tutors?
worked together.
You likely won’t drastically improve your tutee’s
What are your takeaways from service- reading level or significantly impact their
learning? ability to add fractions, but you can always, at
the very least, remind them of their potential.
Service-learning is tough because you often
want to do so much "tangible good" and then
realize that the infrequency of your presence
and your lack of teaching skills don’t quite
allow you to do all you want.

THE COLLABORATOR | 8

James Rees

Senior Highlight

Course of study and Partners For Success
community sites:

Mathematics major, Computer Science minor, high school teaching
license through PiE’s Secondary Teacher Preparation Program
E.K. Powe Elementary, Crest Street Tutorial Project, and the Office of
Equity Affairs for Durham Public Schools

Why Program in Education? Favorite moments with learners and professors?

For the first half of my time at Duke, I had Going on a Civil Rights tour of the South with
never even heard of the Program in Education. the four other humans of the Elementary and
After deciding I wanted to study and pursue Secondary Teacher Preparation Program was
education, I was pulled in by the Foundations a huge highlight. At historic shrines I shared
of Education 101 course, where I had many moments of gravity with these people
discussions I had been yearning for but had that I will always carry with me into the
never found the space to have at Duke. The classroom and the rest of my life. Also great
passion from the students I met there was going to a trivia night in Durham with
motivated me to continue on in the Program. Morgan, Shaun and recent PiE graduates!
The faculty, including Shaun Thompson,
Morgan Carney, Dr. Kisha Daniels, and Next steps for you, both with education and life
especially Dr. Martin Smith, have mentored in general?
and inspired me personally in a way I never
found in any other place on campus. I am deciding my next steps within the field of
education. I hope to be teaching middle
What are your takeaways from service-learning? school or training to be a counselor as I
continue to build on the base of knowledge
I learned firsthand that resources are not in that I am graduating with. I will definitely be
place at the moment to support every student in and around a school!
equitably. Working within the context of
under-resourced schools, I discovered the Parting advice for new PFS tutors?
impact that showing care can have in building
relationships and supporting youth. At the Don’t believe you are going to change a whole
same time, I found brilliant educators and system as a 19 year old student from a
community organizers who are doing great different community than the one in which you
and important work, despite facing many are working. Rather than focusing on what you
obstacles. As part of short-term service can’t control, focus on what you can: investing
through PFS, I learned to defer to the wisdom your energy and care to do your part in
of people who know their own students and supporting the students of DPS!
communities. I recognized the power of long-
term, sustainable relationships and, moving
forward, I will seek these out with intention.

THE COLLABORATOR | 9

Kate Davenport: AmeriCorps + Classics

Programming Assistant Extraordinaire

Maybe the most important part of this year has

been spent combing through the tangled netting

of agency and marginalization, understanding the

ways that my privilege mitigates the ways in

which I’m marginalized and viewing oppression as

a spectrum rather than a rigid dichotomy. This

year has taught me to hold on to the knowledge

of my position within systems but to let go of both

the innate defensiveness and guilt that

accompanies acknowledgement of privilege, and

simultaneously of the powerlessness and fatalism

tied to my marginality. And on a day-to-day

basis, I’ve learned how to manage my time so that

I’m an aspiring Classicist, roughly four [stress- the daily flood of emails doesn’t wash me away—

filled] months away from entering a one-year a good skill for any position, any place, anywhere.

Master’s program that will, with sufficient

progress, funnel me into a PhD program. All that to say, before I fully start down this path
Fundamentally, in order to understand and to a professorship, I now feel as though I can step
combat the deeply-rooted hate and bigotry that pretty firmly with a thorough foundation in self-
are the base threads of the American tapestry, reflection, a burgeoning understanding of how
we have to understand their origins, and you’d be best to foster learning, and a whole arsenal of
hard-pressed to find a society which America has different perspectives and experiences to help
borrowed more from than that of the Greeks and inform not only my teaching but also my own self-
Romans. By studying these foundations, eventually growth.
as a professor, I hope to help rectify and

contextualize elements of ancient history that

have been lost, ultimately removing some of their

power as tools of oppression.

But as the littlest tadpole in the higher education The path leading around the Circus Maximus in Rome, Italy, which is clearly just like my path to
pond, I have a lot to learn before I can even professorship.
begin thinking about teaching, let alone teaching
with an eye to combat narratives of power. That’s
where this AmeriCorps year has been so
instrumental. Roughly 10 months of serving in the
Program in Education—reading 300+ student
reflections, participating in 40+ hours of racial
equity training, and engaging in 80+ hours of
group dialogue about everything from socio-
economic status to the Duke bubble to
immigration and every topic in between—have
brought me right up against a million different
perspectives, forcing me to interrogate every
narrative I’ve ever assumed.

THE COLLABORATOR | 10

Inside Education:
Student Club

Inside Education Leadership Team

What is this group all about?

Our mission is to create a space on campus for
people who are interested in all areas of
education, whether that’s teaching, educational
technology, education policy, or other areas!
 We hope to create this space by hosting events
that increase student engagement with the
Program in Education faculty and resources and
foster critical discussions about educational
issues, locally and globally.  It is important that
we support students in exploring one of the most
important fields in our society: education.

When did Inside Education become a student club?

We became officially recognized as a club on //Photos: (Top) Michelle Quio, Emily Falcon, Dorothy
campus in Fall of 2018 [faculty advisor is Dr. Adu-Amankwah, Tatiana Staley, Rebekah Lester
David Malone]. (Bottom) Program in Education professor, Dr. Martin
Smith, speaking with Inside Education students//
What types of events or programming does the
group participate in or host? What events or programming are you all
excited about for next academic year?
This semester, we have hosted bi-weekly
meetings including a student panel about The recurring events will include weekend
Education Technology Initiatives, conversations volunteer activities with Bull City Classrooms and
with faculty and staff from the Program in weekly coffee chat conversations about
Education, and discussions about KIPP schools education news and issues relevant to our
and philanthropy in education.  We also have campus, Durham, the U.S., and the world.  Larger
volunteered with Bull City Classrooms, a great events will include panels, guest speakers, and
organization that volunteers with Durham education film screenings. Outside of those
schools on weekends! planned events, we hope to connect with new
friends through social events, like getting ice
How often and where do you meet? cream at the Parlour, going to Krafthouse trivia
together, and watching Duke basketball!
We meet every other Wednesday night from
8:00-9:00 PM in Perkins LINK 065!

Who can join?

Anyone who is interested in the topic of
education!

THE COLLABORATOR | 11

Looking Back: A Year of Dialogue + Deep Listening

Maranatha Wall, Partners For Success Coordinator

While, on the one hand, we all have been putting
in the hours, equipping students with the best of
our knowledge, and consistently garnering the
input and feedback of community partners, there
is a growing feeling that we need to take a
deeper look at our work. In my estimation, it is a
feeling that boils down to the following
questions: Is the service-learning model we are
facilitating  enough? Is it even the right kind of
service?

It has been a year of deep conversation in my Despite the 4,600 hours of service that students
office. I direct Program in Education’s (PiE) put in this past year (times the number of years
service-learning program, Partners For Success our program has been in existence), educational
(PFS). This past year, we partnered with 17 inequities and disparities still exist. Local school
community sites across Durham; 10 schools, five children and their families still experience food
afterschool programs, and two GED preparation insecurity, kids miss school out of fear of the ICE
programs. We worked with over 270 Duke raids that have taken place in Durham, and
students, providing training and reflection governmental entities do not consistently work in
opportunities to prepare and guide them as the best interest of North Carolina children. Yet,
tutors in schools and educational programs. Our even with these persistent challenges, the
community partners do outstanding work in the Durham school community, including teachers,
community and our students were privileged to administrators, staff, students, and their families
apprentice some of Durham’s best teachers and are resilient. They organize, lobby, work around
educational practitioners. Tutors served the clock, protest, and so much more.
approximately 4,600 hours over the 2018-2019
academic year. Many institutions of higher education have
  storied histories in relation to their surrounding
One of the great gifts of my role is getting to communities, and Duke is no different. We dare
supervise our office's AmeriCorps member. This not believe that we can be solely responsible for
year, I had the pleasure of working with Kate reducing inequity in our education systems, but
Davenport, an aspiring Classics scholar, who working alongside and directed by the
brought a critical analysis and love for teaching community we can help to move the needle
to the work. In our reflections and conversations towards justice. It takes humility, listening to the
with PFS tutors, we touched on socio-economic community, and cultivating our analysis and
status, the intersectional identities we all hold, lenses toward solutions based in equity. Going
philanthropy and charity (and if they are ethical), into the next academic year, we plan to
the savior complex, the role of hope in service, if continue to listen deeply to our community
service-learning reinforces rather than partners, our students, and Duke faculty in order
transforms inequitable social structures, and so to co-construct ethical solutions to the Durham
on. I have definitely experienced some level of community’s most pressing education issues. We
disorientation in the process of problematizing invite you to reflect on how you might begin or
the work I have been diligently leading over the continue that work in your own communities.
last four years.

THE COLLABORATOR | 12

Have a wonderful and safe summer from
all of us in the Program in Education!
Stay contemplative!

Program in Education faculty and staff members wore #redfored to show their support for public
schools in North Carolina. On May 1, 2019, educators from around the state rallied in Raleigh to
advocate for greater support and funding from their elected representatives. We believe in the
transformative power of collective action!


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