Friday, April 2, 2004
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Friday, April 2, 2004 |
| Coweta Fulbright Scholars named A Coweta County principal and teacher have recently been named Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholars. Arnall Middle School Principal Dr. Marc E. Guy and Central Educational Center horticulture teacher Barbara Rickles have been selected for the teacher program and will travel to Japan for an in-depth review of the Japanese culture and educational system. “This will be an exciting and meaningful learning experience. I look forward to gaining new ideas and sharing the wealth of information within our school system and community upon my return from Japan,” said Guy. “I would like to thank Superintendent Dr. Peggy Connell for her support and all those who encouraged me to apply for this educational endeavor.” “I’m excited,” said Rickles. “My particular interest is horticultural in nature. The Japanese are masters of horticulture and have been for centuries — they have given us Ikebana and Bonsai for example — and most of our garden plants are native to Japan.” Rickles said her visit will give her “the opportunity to expand what I know so I can pass that on to students in the program here,” but it will also allow her to give CEC students a broader educational and cultural perspective. “In a global economy it becomes important that we know who is a part of this globe with us.” Each year, the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program, administered by the Japan-United States Educational Commission in Tokyo, seeks American educators to participate in fully funded three-week study visits in Japan. During the visit, Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholars are introduced to Japanese culture, the educational system, government officials and educators. Participants also have the opportunity to personally interact with local schools and their teachers, students and parents, in addition to visiting historic landmarks and museums. By exposing American teachers and administrators to the Japanese culture and education system, the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program inspires participants with fresh ideas for curriculum development. Participants are asked to commit to sharing what they have learned about Japan and intercultural encounters with their respective students, colleagues, schools and communities in the United States. The Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program seeks residing U.S. citizens from a broad cross section of the American educational community in order to reflect the cultural, institutional, and regional diversity of the United States. Qualifications for the program also include being committed to implementing a long-term plan to share experiences gained from the Fulbright Memorial Fund in the classroom, school, and community. Moreover, applicants must demonstrate a serious academic professional interest in curriculum development, teaching methodologies, and projects or activities related to Japan. Dr. Guy is a graduate of Newnan High School and the University of Georgia. He holds degrees in political science and public administration from the University of Georgia and received his doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Sarasota. He currently serves as the principal of Arnall Middle School and has worked in the Coweta County School System for numerous years. Rickles earned degrees in horticulture and botany from North Carolina State University, and has taught horticulture in Coweta County for 16 years. She taught at East Coweta for many years and then at the Central Educational Center when that charter school opened. She was CEC’s 2003 Teacher of the Year.
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