(WSB photo, November 2016: TEALS founder Kevin Wang and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray at left, visiting CSIHS)

The Technology Education And Literacy in Schools (TEALS) program at Chief Sealth International High School – which got a high-profile visit last fall (photo above) – is looking for volunteers to help next year. From Sealth principal Aida Fraser-Hammer:

Chief Sealth International High School is extremely excited to announce that we are entering our 3rd year of partnership with the TEALS program, which provides support to students who want to explore computer science in the classroom.

We are now planning for the 2017 – 2018 school year and as in years past, we are reaching out to the West Seattle community in search of software programmers or engineers willing to share their programming skills with our students. Volunteers are needed in the classroom as team-teachers 2 days per week for the next school year. No teaching experience is necessary; all training and additional supports will be provided by the TEALS program.

TEALS volunteers have enjoyed a successful partnership with Sealth by exposing students to challenging coursework which has been extremely successful in getting students hooked into computer programming and interested in pursuing higher education in the field of computer science. Volunteer training is provided during the summer and involvement in the classroom varies. Volunteers can team-teach or simply help out in the Computer Science classroom. They commit to two days per week during the 1st period of the day which allows them to maintain their regular work schedule.

Past volunteers have provided classroom support to students and have enjoyed helping teach CS in the classroom. Others have actually used the opportunity as a testing ground to explore a career in teaching. In fact, two-year Sealth volunteer Jon Fincher saw TEALS “as a chance to explore my interest in a more formal teaching role. It wasn’t long before I was fully stuck in. Within a few months, I knew teaching was going to be my post-tech career. I went back to school to get my CTE credentials to follow my passion.”

Although only a few TEALS volunteers explore teaching as a second career, all report, as Fincher does, “When I see a student ‘get it’, and see them take what they learned and do something I never thought of, I get as much satisfaction as they do.”

Sealth students started exploring Python 2nd semester this year, and although Python mastery is absolutely not a requirement for volunteers we would be particularly excited if any Python pros would like to help us for next year.

Interested CS professionals are encouraged to explore more at the volunteer section of the TEALS website or contact Sealth teacher John Wright (206-252-8550) for more information.