As you might imagine, most schoolteachers treasure their summers. The time is used to
rest and recharge their batteries. Many take a well-deserved vacation -- perhaps a nice
cruise to the Bahamas, a visit to the summer home in the Hamptons, or just hanging out
at Lake Murray with the fam.
But not Marietta High School’s Erin Hansen. Hansen, who teaches STEM, Aeronautics,
and Robots, as well as being the Gifted and Talented Coordinator and a half-dozen
other things, obviously doesn’t believe in taking vacations. Instead, she spent the
summer getting ready for the school year.
This summer, her job for the months of June and July, was working at the American
Fidelity STEM Teacher Fellowship Summer Program. It was a real job, Monday through
Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Since the program is in OKC and Hansen lives too distantly
to commute, her expenses were paid.
She spent the summer with a corporate tech team learning about software
development, enterprise information management, and technical infrastructure projects,
along with plenty of other things common folks like me probably don’t understand.
In simplest terms, the AF Teacher Fellowship Program gives STEM teachers the
opportunity to gain first-hand experience in a corporate IT setting and network with
others to acquire knowledge and skills they can take back to their classrooms to help
prepare students for technology-based careers.
American Fidelity is a private, family-owned insurance and financial services company
based in Oklahoma City. They work with public sector employers like schools to help
administer employee benefit programs.
The summer fellowship program is administered through the American Fidelity
Foundation, the company’s private charitable foundation, which funds education, health
and welfare, arts and culture, and civic and economic development through a variety of
grants and programs like the summer teacher fellowship. In 2024, AFF funded more
than 200 grants to the tune of almost $2.4 million.
Hansen thoroughly enjoyed her working summer and is grateful for all of the things she
was able to bring back to the classroom from the fellowship program.
“I gained first-hand experience in a corporate IT setting, interacting with data analysists
and other brilliant people. I gained a wealth of knowledge and skills I’ve incorporated
into my classroom. I learned about data engineering and internet technology,” she
explained.
“But the best part about working at American Fidelity this past summer was the
camaraderie I felt as many of these highly trained professionals told me about their
favorite teacher and the impact that person had on their lives. They told of the high
esteem they hold for teachers and encouraged all of us to continue teaching the next
generation of IT professionals.”
Hansen received a $2,000 grant for her classroom, along with ten Dell laptop
computers, which she plans to use to teach students 3D printing, TinkerCAD, OnShape,
writing circuits, programming robots, and much more.
“I want to emphasize how incredibly generous American Fidelity has been,” concluded
Hansen, “I am grateful for the grant and all that I learned throughout the summer. It was
a wonderful experience.”
After the completion of her summer job, Hansen is back in the classroom, happily
sharing with her students all she learned.
“Our district is beyond blessed to have Erin Hansen on staff,” said MPS Superintendent
Brandi Naylor. “She goes above and beyond what’s expected of her, sacrificing in so
many ways to ensure that her students have the very best education she can provide –
and there’s no doubt Mrs. Hansen’s best is top notch.”