USC Aiken Education Major Interns in DC

Aiken, SC (05/03/2018) — Lindsey Calhoun, an education major at the University of South Carolina Aiken, is currently interning with the Children's Defense Fund in Washington.

"This is an unprecedented opportunity for any education major," said Dr. Timothy Lintner, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs.

"Lindsey is a shining star in the School of Education."

Championing for young students and educators has been one of Calhoun's passions throughout her time at USC Aiken. Before working with the CDF, she headed to the nation's capital to advocate for teacher education during meetings with legislators. So, this internship is a perfect fit for her.

Founded 45 years ago, the Children's Defense Fund helps ensure all children have a "head start, healthy start, fair start, and moral start." Not only does it focus on helping children have access to a quality education but also ending child poverty, improving literacy rates and decreasing summer learning loss. Currently, there are more than 200 CDF Freedom Schools across the nation.

In her position in DC, Calhoun creates training plans for CDF Freedom Schools, prepares nutritious menus for participating students, edits a monthly newsletter she created, and produces professional development videos for CDF Freedom School partners. In addition to contributing to the CDF mission, she has gained valuable insight she plans to incorporate into her own classroom after graduation.

"I have been learning a lot about diversity and inclusion in the classroom, adverse childhood experiences and their effects on students, as well as positivity and empowerment," Calhoun said.

"It has been a great experience so far, and I plan to actually teach in a CDF Freedom Schools Program this summer."

She explains that the CDF summer program is literacy intensive and aims to empower students from "seemingly bleak backgrounds" to realize that they can make a difference in themselves, their families, their community, their country, and their world.

Calhoun who is also part of the Teaching Fellows program at USC Aiken, works three jobs, and has studied abroad in Spain and India. In the fall, she will serve as the coordinator for IMPACT, the student organization on campus that plans at least two community service projects a month.

"I will be working to get students excited to get involved in the community," said Calhoun who currently volunteers at a local nursing home, painting residents' nails every other weekend.

"I love volunteering so I'm excited that my job will be to help others get involved in the community."

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