The West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics has named Fairmont State University student, Megan Kite, the recipient of its 2022 Walter Regula Mathematics Teacher-in-Training Grant. The $600 award is granted annually to an outstanding college or university student training to become a mathematics teacher with intentions of teaching in West Virginia.

“Megan is the perfect example of the extraordinary, home-grown talent we have right here in West Virginia,” said Fairmont State University President, Mirta M. Martin. “We are so proud of her, and look forward to watching her grow, and the contributions she will make to strengthen mathematics education in our school systems throughout the state.” 

Although Kite aspires to make a career of teaching mathematics, she explained she has not always had a firm grasp on the subject but has developed a passion for teaching math as the years have progressed.

“When it comes to math, I have not always had a strong understanding as a student,” Kite said. “But I believe I can use my struggles to my advantage in helping students. I plan to truly learn about my students and help them to find the joy they can have in math. I understand that math takes time, it takes patience and it takes someone that truly desires to see students grow.”

Kite is a West Virginia native from Petersburg, majoring in Elementary Education and Mathematics 5 – 9 Algebra I. Upon graduation, she aims to teach students in an elementary classroom setting in hopes of setting a firm foundation of understanding of mathematics for young students to further build upon throughout their educational journeys, while continuing to work alongside her WVCTM colleagues.

“I want to thank the West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics for this honor. This award is much more than a financial grant, but an opportunity to be partnered with WVCTM throughout my career,” Kite continued.

Kite credits her success to the guidance, support and generosity of her instructors and mentors during her time spent as a Fairmont State student. 

“My time at Fairmont State has prepared me in more ways than one. I have learned how to teach students beyond a textbook and through worksheets, how to create an organized lesson plan, how to stand in front of a classroom with confidence, how to manage behavior while keeping students engaged and how to apply different methods of teaching in a specific subject area. I have been influenced by my professors, my classmates and by my experiences in the classroom,” Kite concluded.

The Teacher-in-Training Grant has been awarded to a Fairmont State student for two consecutive years, which was granted to senior, Kaitlyn Stumpf in 2021.