Staff Spotlight- Mrs. Beth Tinker Felts
This week for our Staff Spotlight we will showcase our Early Childhood Education teacher, Mrs. Beth Felts. Mrs. Felts has been a teacher for nine years, eight of which have been through the North Lawrence Career Center. Beth grew up in “God’s Country”, aka Bowling Green, Kentucky. She claims to have always been a teacher, having grown up as a teacher’s kid surrounded by a love of education. For her undergraduate work, Mrs. Felts attended Western Kentucky University and majored in English and Allied Language Arts, specializing in teaching English as a second language. She then obtained her Master's degree through Indiana University in Early Childhood Education.
Mrs. Felts is married to fellow Career Center Agriculture teacher, Logan Felts. Together they have two young children, Lucy and Ryder. They have four dogs, 3 cats, several cows (including a lovely Holstein named Bernice Matisse), and 2 mini ponies. In her spare time, Mrs. Felts enjoys construction work, crafting, camping, reading, cooking, and all things Disney.
Mrs. Felts is very proud of the Early Childhood Education program. “I teach kids how to teach. My classroom is located at the North Lawrence Learning Center so that students can divide their time working in the Playful Pathways preschool classrooms and my classroom on a daily basis. This not only provides extra learning opportunities for them, but extra assistance and support for the teachers and students in the building. Watching my students interact with the preschoolers and take on the role of assistant teachers is incredible!”
Students have many educational opportunities when they sign up to take the Early Childhood Education program. They have the chance to obtain twenty-four hours of dual credit and earn a Technical Certificate through Ivy Tech. There are certifications such as CPR training and the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. The CDA is a nationally recognized credential that helps students go straight into the workforce. “Several of my former graduates are now employed at the North Lawrence Learning Center. One student, who earned her CDA with me, is about to open her own classroom.” Students also can participate in the Educator’s Rising Club which provides opportunities to practice workforce skills and aims to inspire high school kids to serve their communities by entering the field of education..
Mrs. Felts loves being a part of the Career Center staff. “You will not find a staff in any school that compares to that of the Career Center. And, the students are AMAZING. It does not feel like going to work because I love what I do so much!”
