Jodi Gajadar at Williams College Wins 2007 Rockefeller Brothers Fund Award

11:39AM / Tuesday, June 26, 2007Print Story | Email Story

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has announced the award of a 2007 Fellowship for Aspiring Teachers of Color to Williams College junior Jodi Gajadar. Each year, 25 college juniors are selected to receive up to $22,100 over a five-year period. Fellows complete summer teaching projects between their junior and senior years, and teach in public schools for three years after graduation. Gajadar was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in Otego, N.Y., where she attended Unatego Junior-Senior High School. She said she chose Williams College for its academic rigor, collegial atmosphere, and generous financial aid. "I was looking for a school that would be both academically challenging and rewarding, and Williams fit that description," she said. She is a double major in history and psychology, and an active public preacher for the North Adams Jehovah's Witness congregation. She has spent her summers working in the Human Resources Office at Hartwick College. After Williams she plans to earn a master's degree in education and teach at a rural public high school. "Most public attention focuses on the plight of inner-city schools," she said, "but rural schools have problems that need to be addressed as well. Having a skilled and enthusiastic teacher can make a difference in the life of a student even when the school district does not have enough funds for state-of- the-art equipment. I intend to be one of those teachers." She believes that schools would benefit from greater community involvement. "Not enough people see the work that teachers do as an investment and are unwilling to give of their resources when needed," she said. Family and community support is especially critical when districts cannot fund enrichment programs on their own. Senior Marlena A. Elmore, who graduated from Williams this year, received a 2006 Fellowship during her junior year. Elmore lives in Milton, Mass., where she graduated from Milton High School. "Williams has been great to me both academically and financially, including winning the Gilles David Adams 1967 Scholarship that supports Williams students who want to go into the teaching profession," she said. She majored in American Studies with a specialization in race and ethnicity. During the summers following her freshman and sophomore years, Elmore worked for the breakthrough program Summerbridge Cambridge, where she taught literature, creative writing, and Harlem Renaissance history to public middle school students. She also served as social studies department chair. During the summer following her junior year, Elmore was a Williams College Undergraduate Research Fellow. She did research on Zora Neale Hurston, the Harlem Renaissance writer, and the way black female identity is captured in writing. Elmore will spend one year in Duke University's Master of Arts in Teaching Social Studies program, and will teach in Durham public schools for two years after completing her degree. She wants to see increased funding for disadvantaged public schools. "The U.S. educational system should aim to bring forth the potential of every student: white, black, Asian, Hispanic, rich, and poor," she said. "Unfortunately, schools that educate minority and poor students do not have the resources and cannot provide opportunities to allow their students to bring out their potential. While I do not believe funding is the only answer, I do believe that it is an essential factor." Established in 1991, the Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color initiative is a key component of the Charles E. Culpeper Human Advancement program.

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St. Stan's Students Spread Holiday Cheer at Williamstown Commons

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
12:50PM / Sunday, December 21, 2025

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Students from St. Stanislaus Kostka School in Adams brought the holiday spirit to Williamstown Commons on Thursday, delivering handmade Christmas cards and leading residents in a community caroling session.

"It honestly means the world to us because it means the world to them," said nursing home Administrator Alex Fox on Thursday morning. "This made their days. This could have even made their weeks. It could have made their Christmas, seeing the children and interacting with the community."

Teacher Kate Mendonca said this is the first year her class has visited the facility, noting that the initiative was driven entirely by the students.

"This came from the kids. They said they wanted to create something and give back," Mendonca said. "We want our students involved in the community instead of just reading from a religion book."

Preparation for the event began in early December, with students crafting bells to accompany their singing. The handmade cards were completed last week.

"It's important for them to know that it's not just about them during Christmas," Mendonca said. "It's about everyone, for sure. I hope that they know they really helped a lot of people today and hopefully it brought joy to the residents here."

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