IMAGINE . . . Leading by Example!
Staff
Eli Seed
BS, Secondary English Education, Appalachian State University, 1995
MLIS, School Media, NCCU, 2008
Favorite Quote: “It is never too late to be who you might have been.” ~George Eliot
Greetings! I'm Eli and I am the Academic Advisor for Duke IMAGINE…Leading By Example! You will see me at our morning and afternoon caucuses and I will be in and out of your classrooms during the day. I advise Derek and Jon on curriculum and work with them to create cohesion and community within our camp. They’re the classrooms experts, which frees me up a bit to check on individuals and make sure things are running smoothly behind the scenes. I consider it my responsibility to provide you with every opportunity to feel like an essential part of Duke IMAGINE and that starts with my passionate belief that just by being here, you ARE!
I have been teaching middle school Language Arts and high school English here in Durham for over thirteen years and have been an instructor with Duke Youth Program's Young Writers' Camp since 2000. I am very excited about the opportunity to kick off a brand new camp and to work with the students who are already preparing to lead this country and the world in the decades to come.
I am an avid reader and I was drawn to teaching literature by a desire to share that passion. Beyond mere entertainment, though, I see such great potential in literature for exploring themes and applying them to the real world around us. Entertainment is great, but making connections between fiction and our lives, and finding purpose there -- that makes it far greater and more powerful.
My library degree was a pursuit influenced by my desire to explore the connections between different subject areas in an interdisciplinary fashion.
I am a converted Durhamite and I love this city, warts and all. I see here such incredible potential because it is real, open, and inclusive. My wife and I raise chickens and run a modest CSA (Community Sustained Agriculture, a farm cooperative). We have two daughters and are expecting a third child this September.
I see young people as a far more important and meaningful investment for the future than the stock market, banks, or other institutions. I've seen troubling things that concern me more for my children's futures than for my own, but on a horizon that isn't too far off, I see a tremendous revival of optimism and hope, community and cooperation. I see the world I want my children to inherit and that it can be a reality. You, campers, are part of that future. You're vital to that future.
Derek Burns
Bachelor of Science, Education,
Minor in Non-Western History,
Appalachian State University, 1994
I have been a teacher in the Durham/Chapel Hill area for 14 years. During that time I have worked as the Social Studies Department Leader, and have mentored student teachers from UNC, Duke, and NC State. I have also worked extensively as a Mentor to students from Durham's West End community in a program called Partners for Youth. This program is designed to provide role models and career development opportunities for students from this community. I have helped build three houses through the Habitat for Humanity program in the area. One of my passions has been playing and coaching soccer. I have volunteered as a soccer coach for more than 20 seasons over the last decade and a half, and I have also coached both men’s and women's high school soccer. I live in nearby Hillsborough, NC with my wife and two children.
I went into teaching as a means to give back to my community and I have been inspired by many of the teachers who worked with me while in school. Robert Schuller once said that, "a small decision now can change all your tomorrows." This quote has so much meaning for me because it is in the seemingly tiny details of daily life that that we often make a huge difference. I hope to help you see the potential in such opportunities during our two weeks here.
Jonathan Tyus
North Carolina Teaching Fellow, 2004-2008
Bachelor of Arts, History
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2008
Masters of Teaching, Duke University, 2009
I am a new teacher in Durham Public Schools. My Bachelor of Arts in History includes a focus on Latin American History, and during my time at UNC I had the unique opportunity to study abroad in Havana, Cuba for 4 months. This really helped me hone my focus and my interest in Latin American History, and it also had the unplanned benefit of introducing me to Latin music. I now count this musical genre as one of my favorites, a true and deep passion. I played music in high school as a member of my school’s marching band, but my musical experiences in Cuba have led me in a different direction now. I am an amateur musician, playing in numerous salsa and Cuban music groups in the Durham/Chapel Hill area.
As a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, I spent a great deal of time with teenagers throughout my college experience, both inside and outside the traditional classroom setting. One of my greatest natural strengths is the close connection I have to high school students, as I have continued to be involved with your age group even after my own high school days ended.
Finally, being a native of Durham, I have always strived to enrich the community that gave me so much. One of the most effective and noble ways to do this is through teaching, and it is for this reason I chose that path in college and am now returning to the Durham Public School system as a teacher. I am really excited to have this chance through Duke IMAGINE to help you find similar ways of improving your communities.