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The National Book Foundation (NBF) announced the 2024/25 cohort of Fellows selected for the NBF Teacher Fellowship, an initiative that supports and celebrates 6th-12th grade teachers using innovative methods to make reading for pleasure a part of their students’ school day experience. The 2024/25 NBF Teacher Fellows were selected by a committee, also announced today, of five educators and writers.
“The NBF Teacher Fellowship recognizes educators connecting young people with excellent literature and encouraging a lifelong love of reading,” said Ruth Dickey, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation. “This initiative is an essential component of our education and access programs at a time when access to diverse books is more important than ever. We are especially grateful to our selection committee for identifying a dedicated group of educators who are nurturing deeper connections with books, authors, and fellow readers.”
The 2024/25 NBF Teacher Fellows are educators in urban, suburban, and rural communities across six states—Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Michigan, and New York. Their subject areas include AP Language & Composition, English for Speakers of Other Languages, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. When combined, these classes will serve nearly 900 6th-12th grade students during the 2024/25 academic year. The NBF Teacher Fellows will incorporate inventive and dynamic classroom activities such as podcast creation, needlework craft projects, and independent reading challenges that aim to encourage a love of books and create a culture of reading within and beyond the classroom.
All selected Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend upon completion of the program as well as a $2,000 budget for books and supplies. As part of the program, teachers will develop or extend an initiative that promotes reading for pleasure in their classroom; incorporate National Book Award-honored titles into their curriculum; and participate in a professional learning community with their cohort, including an in-person convening in New York City.
The 2024/25 selection committee includes educators and writers with a strong commitment to expanding access to great literature for young people. Kenneth M. Cadow is an educator and writer whose debut young adult novel, Gather, was a Finalist for the 2023 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Joanna Ho is the New York Times bestselling and award–winning author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, The Silence that Binds Us, and many more books for kids. Amanda Nowlin is a prose writer whose work has appeared the anthology Literary Cash: Unauthorized Writings Inspired by the Legendary Johnny Cash, among other places; she works as a teaching artist in the National Book Foundation’s BookUp program in Huntsville, Texas. Siva Ramakrishnan is the Director of Young Adult Programs and Services at The New York Public Library where she oversees a team that supports teen-serving staff across New York City. Dr. Precious Symonette is an educator, research practitioner, author, and public speaker; she currently teaches creative writing at Miami Norland Senior High School.
The online application for the 2025/26 NBF Teacher Fellowship will open in February 2025 (date subject to change). Interested applicants may review the Program & Application Details; full details will be posted in early 2025. Learn more about the NBF Teacher Fellowship at the Foundation’s website.
Shanel Adams
Detroit, MI
Detroit International Academy for Young Women
6th-8th grade English Language Arts
Shanel Adams is a teacher and literacy advocate committed to girls’ education, multicultural curricula, and project-based learning. She teaches English Language Arts at Detroit International Academy for Young Women and runs Progressionista, a book club for preteen girls, at local libraries.
About the project: Woven by Women will weave together the tradition of needlework and storytelling that has brought women together globally by introducing middle school girls to books featuring diverse female protagonists and pairing it with needlework craft projects such as crocheting and quilting. The project will culminate in presentations that will include book summaries, written reflections, and a cultural quilt that will convey the rich tapestry of multicultural womanhood.
Nikia D. Garland
Indianapolis, IN
Arsenal Technical High School
11th & 12th grade English Language Arts & AP Language & Composition
Nikia D. Garland teaches British Literature and AP Language & Composition at Arsenal Technical High School. She has taught a wide range of ELA classes at the secondary, international, and higher education level. Nikia is also a Terry Fear Holocaust Educator in Action recipient, Mark Schonwetter Grant recipient, Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellow, a Fund for Teacher Fellow, a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, Chair for the Indiana Teachers of Writing Conference, and President-Elect for the Indiana affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English.
About the project: In a year-long pursuit of building literacy entitled, “Game of Tomes,” students will select books for the classroom library, help organize and promote a schoolwide book fair, engage with others about what they are reading, create books talks to be shared on social media, and engage in reading for the simple joy of it.
Brendan Gillett
Brooklyn, NY
International High School at Prospect Heights
9th & 10th grade English Language Arts
Brendan Gillett is an English teacher at the International High School at Prospect Heights. He and his students write multilingual picture books, craft handmade poetry chapbooks, design multicultural food blogs, and dramatically portray scenes from Ms. Marvel. He thinks of himself as the world’s foremost Scott Pilgrim scholar and has yet to be proven wrong about this. He is always happy to talk books, comics, or games, unless he’s napping to cope with his busy schedule. Brendan lives in Brooklyn, NY with his husband and their adorable cat, Pigeon.
About the project: Brendan’s students—all of whom are recently-arrived immigrants and English Language Learners—have weekly reading periods across classes. Students choose books from a classroom library, and while they read, hold student-teacher mini conferences about their books and reading, and how they are generally. They track their progress with a personalized bookmark, and when they finish a book, summarize it by answering the questions, “Would you recommend this book to others? Why?” They share what they’ve read with the class and help each other choose their next text, building a community of fellow readers in their new environment.
Gabriela Goitía Vázquez
North Miami Beach, FL
Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High School
10th-12th grade English Language Arts & ESOL
Gabriela Goitía Vázquez teaches English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), AP Human Geography, and AP Spanish Literature at Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High School. In 2022, Ms. Goitía Vázquez was selected as Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Rookie Teacher of the Year. Ms. Goitia Vazquez holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications & Comparative Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, and currently studies Computing in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her passions lie in literacy and language education, participatory curriculum, and education in emergencies and reconstruction. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing Brazilian zouk and eating copious amounts of sushi.
About the project: Verses and Voices is a project aimed at high school English Language Learners and struggling readers at Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High School. Its purpose is to merge poetry and podcast creation to delve into the exploration of identity. Through interactive workshops, students learn poetic forms, literary devices, and recording techniques. They compose original poems reflecting on personal experiences, cultural backgrounds, and self-discovery. These poems are then transformed into podcast episodes where students narrate, interview, discuss, and reflect on their works—fostering language acquisition, critical thinking, and self-expression.
Kristin Mitchell
Orlando, FL
University High School
9th-12th grade Reading Instructional Coach
Kristin Mitchell is from Orlando, FL and has been a teacher for eight years. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with her bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education and her master’s in Reading Education. Kristin believes that every student should always have a fun and engaging reading experience no matter the grade level. Reading holds a special place in Kristin’s heart and will continue to be a central focus in her classroom.
About the project: Kristin’s project will focus on building out a physical space where students can come to read at their leisure, stocked with a collection of award–winning and relatable titles. This project promotes student centered learning by way of student choice. Students will have the choice of what they are reading, how they want to read it (traditional, digital, audio), and which project-based activity they want to use to build a deeper connection with and understanding of their book.
Shelby Oshiro
Wai’anae, HI
Wai’anae Intermediate School
7th & 8th grade Social Studies
Shelby Oshiro is a social studies teacher at Wai’anae Intermediate. She recently received her National Board Certification and is currently pursuing her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction at University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. Her research interests are Critical Theory, Multicultural Education, Education for Social Justice, and Philosophy for Children. Her passion is developing social studies curriculum and pedagogy that empowers students to question what it means for them to be a citizen in a multicultural society.
About the project: Shelby’s project illustrates how learning with books can be rigorous as well as fun and engaging, and shows there is magic and value to children’s picture books, graphic novels, and fiction novels that can reach students in ways nonfiction texts cannot. In hopes of raising students’ reading comprehension and writing skills, schools sometimes focus excessively on nonfiction texts. However, there is power in the world of fiction and various reading levels. Shelby’s project helps demonstrate the need for both nonfiction and fiction in schools and in students’ lives.
Beatriz Ramos Jimenez
Pahala, HI
Ka’u High and Pahala Elementary School
9th-12th grade Science
Originally from Spain, Beatriz Ramos Jimenez now lives on the Big Island, Hawaii. As a secondary science teacher and Academy Lead, Beatriz is driven by a passion for science, inspiring curiosity in her students. Alongside scientific inquiry, she’s equally enthusiastic about sharing the magic of reading and the wonders of nature. Whether diving into a book or exploring lush landscapes, Beatriz blends literature with the beauty of the outdoors. Her goal is to spark that same passion in her students, bridging the gap between books, science, and the natural world.
About the project: Beatriz’s project aims to fuse science education with storytelling to promote reading enjoyment and scientific literacy. Through themed units based on Next Generation Science Standards, students will explore literature that intertwines with scientific concepts. Activities include whole-class readings, discussions, independent assignments, and hands-on projects like creating podcasts. Books, including National Book Award–honored titles, will be chosen for accuracy, relevance, and literary merit and will highlight diverse voices. The project’s impact will be enhanced through collaboration with school resources and community partners. Assessments include reading logs and projects, fostering a lifelong love for reading while nurturing critical thinking and cultural inclusivity in scientific learning.
Ellie Roberts
Paonia, CO
Paonia K-8 School
7th & 8th grade English Language Arts
Over 24 years, Ellie Roberts has taught 5th to 12th grade English and Social Studies. She currently teaches in a small, rural K-8 school in western Colorado, where coal mining, organic farming, and ranching are the main industries. Ellie graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in History and an MA in Reading from Adams State University, and later attended a Gilder Lehrman Institute at New York University and NEH programs at University of North Carolina Asheville and University of Virginia. Ellie’s focus is instilling the love of reading in students at a time when instructional decisions are made based on quantifiable data.
About the project: Students participate in an Independent Reading Challenge where they set individual quarterly reading goals, self-select the books they will read, and engage in quarterly book projects. This reading program focuses on developing a love for books and reading for pleasure that will carry into their adult life as a lifelong learner. Middle grade learners practice skills like independence, leadership, and empowerment through the Independent Reading Challenge.
Kenneth M. Cadow is an educator and writer who lives in Pompanoosuc, Vermont. Gather is his first young adult novel.
Joanna Ho is the New York Times bestselling and award–winning author of many books for kids. She has received the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature Honor, a Golden Kite Award, an Ezra Jack Keats Award, and a Golden Poppy Award. She is a writer and educator with a passion for anti-bias, anti-racism, and equity work. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s from the Principal Leadership Institute at University of California, Berkeley. She has been an English teacher, a dean, the designer of an alternative-to-prison program, a creator of educator professional development, and a high school vice principal. She lives in the Bay Area, where she survives on homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids.
Amanda Nowlin is a prose writer whose work has appeared in Kelp, Callaloo, Gulf Coast, Vandal, The Dallas Morning News, and the anthology Literary Cash: Unauthorized Writings Inspired by the Legendary Johnny Cash. She is a sailor, rancher, beekeeper, former college professor, and mother to two girls who are full of moxie. In Amanda’s spare time, she works as a teaching artist in the National Book Foundation’s BookUp program in Huntsville, Texas where she lives with her family.
Siva Ramakrishnan is the Director of Young Adult Programs and Services at The New York Public Library where she oversees a team that supports teen-serving staff across NYPL’s 88 neighborhood branches through programming, resources, professional development, and partnerships. She has worked with teens in a variety of educational settings for over 20 years and enjoys thinking about how libraries can be dynamic spaces where teens can connect with their peers and community and engage in creative, self-directed learning.
Dr. Precious Symonette has been teaching for the past 18 years. Dr. Symonette is an educator, research practitioner, author, and public speaker. Dr. Symonette was named the 2017 Miami Dade County Public School’s Teacher of the Year, 2017 Florida Teacher of the Year Finalist, and recognized as a 2016 National Education Association Superhero Educator. She is an official Freedom Writers Teacher, and she started the Florida Freedom Writers Foundation that helps to promote free expression both in written and verbal form. On April 18, 2023, she and her students received a Proclamation from Miami Dade County, proclaiming Viking Freedom Writers Day, in honor of her work with Freedom Writers! In 2023, Dr. Symonette received a Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program Award. She currently teaches Creative Writing at Miami Norland Senior High School.
