Our Stories
The I Am a Rural Teacher campaign is committed to sharing voices and perspectives of rural teachers throughout the country. Elevating teacher advocacy is a primary objective of this national initiative, and the Rural Schools Collaborative will be working with the National Rural Education Association to share rural teachers' viewpoints with policymakers at the regional, state, and national levels.
Thank you to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting this effort.

Kinley Zam - Punakha District, Bhutan
June 24, 2022
Place-based education partnership fosters deeper learning in Bhutan
Teacher Profile, Rural Educators Across Borders

Barb McArthy and Suzy Tomm - Carmi, IL
June 16, 2022
Teaching team shares a rural perspective on special education
Teacher Profile, Podcast

Susan Spiers - Picayune, MS
June 2, 2022
Veteran teacher forges bonds with students and community
Teacher Profile

Joe Hennessey - Dover-Foxcroft, ME
May 24, 2022
Joe Hennessey’s work in Piscataquis County, Maine reveals the irreplaceable role of a passionate and visionary teacher-leader

Building a Climate-aware Future: Rural Educators Across Borders Convenes to Discuss Sustainability in Rural Schools
May 23, 2022
In our second Rural Educators Across Borders event, we focused on Sustainability in Rural Schools, exploring the local-to-global impacts of and responses to climate change in rural areas
Rural Educators Across Borders

Jamie Fehring - Bedford, Iowa
May 17, 2022
Beginning her career as a scientist, Jamie transitioned into teaching as a second career; and she's deeply committed to fostering student inquiry and inclusivity in the classroom.
Teacher Profile

Jamesha Keithley - Leland, MS
May 6, 2022
Helping students take command of their future
Alabama & Black Belt, Teacher Profile

Haley Salitros Lancaster - Vincennes, IN
April 20, 2022
National Signature Project Award recipient discusses place and community
Place-Based Education, Teacher Profile, Podcast

Chasity Douglas - Surry County, NC
April 15, 2022
Teaching with Empathy and Determination
Teacher Profile

CSU – Chico Rural Teacher Corps Spotlight: CLASS in action at Red Bluff High School
April 15, 2022
Rural Schools Collaborative's Executive Director, Taylor McCabe-Juhnke, sits down with four CLASS program participants for a roundtable interview
Rural Teacher Corps

Karen Yu - Chaozhou, China
April 4, 2022
Breaking stereotypes through international dialogue