Fellows

The Center strives to highlight important work being done to combat poverty in North Carolina, both within the university and in the greater community.

2010-2011 Fellow

Brian McDonald

Brian McDonald, history teacher at Jordan High School in Durham, North Carolina, has developed a high school-level curriculum for a course entitled "Poverty in America". This course aims to inform a new generation of Americans about the history, causes, and effects of domestic poverty as well as how poverty remains a problem in society today. Through reading, writing, and class projects, students gain analytical skills and a solid understanding of poverty in the United States and how it came to be. There is also a service-learning component of the course and students have been involved with Hurricane Katrina clean-up issues and this year, with Urban Ministries of Durham. The organization provides food, clothing, shelter and support services for Durham residents in need and includes a community cafe, food pantry, clothing closet and shelter.  In addition to the 15 hours of community service to the organization required for each student, the class is also trying to raise $1,000, and collect 200 new or gently used towels, 150 sets of sheets, and 100 hygiene packets.

For more information, please visit the course's website. After a lengthy process initiated by Mr. McDonald, the curriculum for this course was approved by the NC State Board of Education for Durham Public Schools. If you are a high school teacher or administrator in North Carolina interested in offering the course at your school, please contact Mr. McDonald by email.

Brian McDonald was featured as Teacher of the Week on WRAL News in September 2009, was named Jordan High School's 2009 Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for Durham Public Schools' Teacher of the Year, also in 2009. He is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher, a graduate of Elon University and is pursuing a master's degree from North Carolina Central University.