Kaitlin Bunch – 2011 Angel Boberg-Webb Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Kaitlin Bunch – 2011 Angel Boberg-Webb Memorial Scholarship Recipient
The Board of Directors and staff of the Family Support Network of Eastern North Carolina offers congratulations to Kaitlin Bunch who is the recipient of the 2011 Angel Boberg Webb Memorial Scholarship for senior college students who plan to teach children with special needs.
Kaitlin is a fourth year senior at East Carolina University, majoring in Special Education with a subspecialty in adaptive curriculum. In our interview on April 18, 2011, Kaitlin explained that in middle school she became friends with a peer with special needs who got into fights at school. Kaitlin began to spend time with the peer and talk with her about the fights and many other topics. Kaitlin and the peer became good friends and their relationship was mutually beneficial. Once they transitioned to high school they realized there were many other peers interested in getting to know others and they formed an informal group. Kaitlin remarked that this experience was a valuable personal and learning experience for her. Kaitlin had also had experience with a family member with learning disabilities. Both of these experiences taught Kaitlin about the everyday struggles one may experience and the importance of support from family, friends and community members.
Once Kaitlin started to explore college and future interests she had difficulty because of her many interests. But, one of her high school teachers suggested she consider becoming a teacher. After some soul searching she decided to pursue a degree in education and received the North Carolina Teaching Fellow Scholarship. She decided to attend East Carolina University and began as a science education major. However, she went on a field trip with students from a special education class when she was a freshman and realized that working with children with special needs was her passion.
Kaitlin will begin interning in a public school classroom in the fall of 2011 and continue this experience in the spring of 2012. She is willing to working in any type of special education classroom and hopes that it will be at the middle or high school level.
While going to college Kaitlin has also had the opportunity to work for the ARC of North Carolina as a personal support specialist where she worked with an adult with developmental disabilities for nine months. She reports being very attached to the client and “loving” the work. Due to her educational responsibilities, Kaitlin had to stop working with the client but notes that this experience helped confirm her passion for working with children with special needs.
Kaitlin’s long term goals include teaching in a special needs classroom in North Carolina. She also wants to open a camp/retreat for people with disabilities and their families in Northeastern North Carolina. She describes this as a self-sustaining community which would allow individuals to live and work there. Kaitlin Bunch has a bright future ahead of her and we are confident that she will make a difference in the lives of children with special needs and their families. The Family Support Network of Eastern North Carolina is proud to help her continue to pursue her educational goals.
Kaye McGinty, MD
Board member FSN-ENC