Bolles faculty members who were awarded Duane Ottenstroer Excellence in Teaching Fellowships in 2024 presented their work to members of the Ottenstroer family and Bolles administration during a celebratory luncheon held April 14 in the Class of ’46 Alumni Conference Room.

Their presentations demonstrated how meaningful and wide-ranging these experiences are to Bolles faculty, who travel across the globe every year to hone their skills and enrich their classroom experience.

The Ottenstroer Fellowships identify and reward excellence in teaching at Bolles by providing opportunities for professional growth among faculty. Funded by a grant from Duane and Sue Ottenstroer, the fellowships are awarded annually to members of the Bolles faculty who have had a significant impact on the learning process and have a plan for future improvement. Interested candidates prepare an application describing a project to be funded by the fellowship, usually for summer study or research. Ottenstroer Fellowships are available to teachers at every grade level, and the recipients are chosen each spring by an administrative selection committee.

Teachers from all four Bolles campuses reported on their grant work, which reflected a broad range of focuses, as outlined in their original proposals:

Deborah Carney
Middle School Bartram Campus English Teacher and Lead Teacher 
From Stratford-Upon-Avon to Verona: Following Shakespeare on the Road to “Romeo and Juliet” 

Carney traveled to England and Italy to document the locations discussed in “Romeo and Juliet” with the goal of bringing back first-hand knowledge and perspective to eighth graders studying Shakespeare and participating in the annual Shakespeare Day. In England, she visited Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace, and toured central London, making sure to stop by Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. In Italy, Carney explored Verona, the setting of "Romeo and Juliet," and documented their travels through a blog, videos and photographs.

Christina Karvounis
Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus Librarian
Japan: Storytelling, Culture and Connection
*approved for 2023 but couldn’t go until 2024

Karvounis journeyed to Japan to extend her own cultural competencies of Japanese culture through location immersion and museum tours, grow her knowledge of Japanese book arts, storytelling and Kamishibai, and connect with colleagues at Bolles’ sister school, the Keio School in Tokyo. This experience aimed to enhance the library curriculum, which is grounded in the principle that storytelling connects us as a human family and provides students learning opportunities for building cultural competencies.

Elizabeth Miron
Lower School Whitehurst Campus Art Teacher
Journey Through Art: Exploring Spanish Roots

As an art teacher with Spanish heritage, traveling to Spain offered Miron a unique opportunity to connect with her ancestral roots and explore the country's rich cultural heritage. By immersing herself in Spanish art, architecture, cuisine and traditions, she gained a deeper understanding of her cultural identity and shared this personal connection with her students. While in Spain, Miron used sketchbooks and other art mediums to document her journey, drawing inspiration from the vibrant art scenes in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville.  

Sara Phillips-Bourass
Upper School San Jose Campus French & Arabic Teacher
Senegal as a Window on West African Culture and La Francophonie

Phillips-Bourass went to Senegal to gain deeper knowledge and bring back a variety of engaging materials, recognizing that Africa is home to more French speakers than Europe. She said throughout her career, she centered African experiences and realities in her classroom but she felt limited by a lack of personal experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and a scarcity of authentic materials.

Andi Oldham and Carolyn Houston
Lower School Science Teachers
Scientific Exploration: Exploring Iceland’s Natural Phenomena

Oldham and Houston achieved a true hands-on experience in Iceland, a geologically and ecologically unique location, to enrich their teaching and expand students' knowledge of real-world concepts. They delved into Iceland's changing landscape and advancements in space exploration, agriculture, food science and renewable energy to enhance their science labs and make lessons more engaging and interactive.

Maggie Vance
Bolles Instrumental Music Director
Jazzing Up Education: A Cultural Exploration at the Montreux Jazz Festival

Vance attended the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland for a unique opportunity for professional development and enrichment that exposed her to diverse musical styles and cultural immersion. She networked with industry professionals, participated in workshops and brought back her experiences to inspire and motivate her students as she works to create transformative learning opportunities and instill a lifelong passion for the arts.