Two WCS Teachers Join the 2017 Geography Fellows

Published September 14, 2017

A pair of Williamson County Schools teachers is being nationally recognized for the work they do in the classroom.

Centennial High’s Cassie Bates and Fairview High’s Jessica Clouse, both Advanced Placement Human Geography teachers, were named two of the 2017 American Geographical Society (AGS) Geography Fellows. Only 50 teachers across the United States were given this honor.

“They are examples of educators who challenge and encourage students to greater success,” said WCS Social Studies Curriculum Specialist David Rector. “I’m not surprised that either is being recognized. They earn it every day.”

As a reward for their hard work, Clouse and Bates will attend the AGS Fall Symposium in November, where they will have the chance to meet leading experts and senior executives who specialize in geography. The symposium will be held at Columbia University in New York City.

“This experience allows me to go in-depth outside of the textbook and hear from leaders and business people who are actively shaping the future of our world,” said Clouse. “I am most excited to learn about state-of-the-art technology and advancements in human transportation including flying cars and drone delivery.”

Both teachers will use their experiences at the symposium to improve their teaching even more.

“It gives me more hands-on applications to use,” Bates said. “Continued learning is important for teachers in order to further our content knowledge for the classroom.”