As a member of the Middle School science department, Rya spent the last several years working at the Center for International Earth Science Information Network at Columbia University as a research assistant and at NASA’s DEVELOP National Program, SSAI, Inc. She is looking forward to teaching science. Rya earned a joint Bachelor of Arts degree from Sciences Po Paris, Campus of Menton in Social Sciences with a Law Concentration, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University in Earth Sciences.

Jaakirah got her start in education by co-creating and acting as the program director at Young Scholars Charter School in Philadelphia and as a tutor at Waterville Junior High School. Having graduated from Colby College with a Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies and Government and Mathematics this past spring, she will teach mathematics in the Middle School as one of our new Penn Fellows. While at Colby College, she was involved in the student government and worked as the Director of Operations for the varsity women’s softball team.

Kate spent the last two years working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a research fellow working on the School Effectiveness and Inequality Initiative. Prior to that, she was an undergraduate student at Yale University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Kate will teach Upper School mathematics as one of our new Penn Fellows. Her interest in education started during her time involved in the program Enroot as a mentor for Cambridge Public Schools and teaching in the summer for Breakthrough Collaborative Austin.

Jalin is in his second year as the Upper School Penn Fellow. He graduated from Davidson College with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Latin American Studies and African Studies. Along with his accomplishments in the classroom, Jalin was a member of the varsity track team. While in college, his interest in education was evidenced by his participation as a Spanish Teaching Assistant, an ESL Volunteer Teacher at YMCA Lake Norman, and a Counselor/Teaching Assistant at Northwestern University’s Summer Institute for the Gifted. Jalin will teach Spanish in the Upper School and coach varsity indoor track in the fall and varsity track in the spring.

As a second-year Penn Fellow this year, Erica is joining us after graduating from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology modified with African and African American Studies. While at Dartmouth College, she had the opportunity to expand her educational experience by studying for a semester at Webster University in Ghana. Erica’s interest in education is exemplified by summer internships at Success Academy Charter School, Urban Science Academy, and The Equity Project Charter School. She will teach Geography in the Middle School. Erica played rugby in college and is also looking forward to coaching in the Middle School.

As a graduate of Kenyon College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Women’s & Gender Studies, Annelise will be the Bridges Fellow and Upper School English Teacher.

After college, she worked for City Year at East Technical High School in Cleveland, Ohio as an AmeriCorps Member. She also spent time studying abroad at the University of Exeter in England and as a camp counselor at the Great Books Summer Program in Palo Alto, California.