Candidates for Charleston County School Board will participate in a student-moderated panel discussion on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. in Physician’s Memorial Auditorium at the College of Charleston. This is a family-friendly event, hosted by students in the Teaching Fellows Program. It’s free and open to the public and is the last scheduled panel discussion before Election Day on November 6.

The public may submit questions for the Charleston County School Board candidates by clicking here. The Teaching Fellows will provide activities for children between the ages of 2 and 13. Families bringing children will need to complete page two of the form. This event is hosted by the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance.

Candidates running for the Downtown, West Ashley and North Charleston school board seats have been invited to attend.

“Planning the event has been a process more involved than I expected; however, it has been really exciting to see the candidates’ enthusiasm and the Teaching Fellows’ hard work,” says Rebekah Lowry, a senior majoring in special education. Lowry says the panel discussion is an opportunity for the candidates to share their platforms and for education majors to see how the school board impacts Charleston County schools and the students they will teach.

“Our Teaching Fellows are learning first hand about advocacy and its role in making district wide changes to public schools,” says education professor Charissa Owens, who is working with the students to coordinate the event. “They are developing necessary leadership skills to advocate for children and youth. The process also encourages them to examine their own learning and teaching practices in light of district policies.”

The Teaching Fellows Program is a statewide initiative designed to recruit highly talented students from South Carolina into the teaching profession. Fellows receive up to $6,000 in scholarships each year for four years as they pursue their teaching certificates.  For each year they receive funding, the students agree to teach at least one year in South Carolina.

For more information, contact Charissa Owens at 843.953.8057.