Mayville State education students who have been student teaching during the fall semester of 2014 were honored at a banquet held Tuesday evening, Dec. 3, in the MSU Campus Center Luckasen Room. The students were joined by their cooperating teachers, parents, and Mayville State faculty members and administration.
Twenty-one Mayville State students have spent the fall semester working with teachers and students in various grades and content areas in several North Dakota school districts, including Hatton, Mayville, Northwood, Fargo, Williston, West Fargo, Mandan, Ray, Finley-Sharon, Grafton, Lidgerwood, Cando, and Rugby. Other students taught in Thief River Falls and Moorhead, Minn., as well as in Denver, Colo. and Brawley, Calif. Eleven of the student teachers worked in the elementary grades, six in the secondary grades, and four in early childhood.
Kelli Odden, MSU assistant professor of education, served as emcee for the evening’s program, and she started out the evening’s festivities by playing a video recording of 2009 Mayville State graduate, Clayton Dodson, who is now teaching in Houston, Texas. Dodson encouraged the soon-to-be teachers to make the most of their careers as educators while positively impacting the lives of the students.
Members of the Student Education Association took part in the program by introducing the student teachers, as well as assisting with some of the logistical tasks of the event such as registration and greeting guests. Alyssa Demars gave an invocation prior to dinner, and SEA president Aubrey Moen gave closing remarks. Members of this student organization also assembled the banquet table decorations.
A highlight of the evening was the recognition of Dr. Ron Semmens and Marilyn Holman, two individuals who have had a long association with the education department at Mayville State University. This is the last semester these folks will be supervising student teachers.
Mayville State Professor Emeritus Dr. Ron Semmens was recognized for his 69 years in the field of education, including 44 spent in various roles at Mayville State University. Semmens was also keynote speaker for the program. In his remarks, he gave some advice to the student teachers, who will soon be working in classrooms of their own.
Donalee Strand, Bonnie O’Keefe, and Betty LeClair were recognized for the number of semesters in which they’ve had Mayville State student teachers in their classrooms at Hatton (Strand and O’Keefe) and Mayville (LeClair). Each of these women has worked as a cooperating teacher with Mayville State student teachers for 10 semesters.
SEA member Andrea Berge recognized the SEA’s selection for the student teacher who showed “exemplary performance in the classroom,” Carly Mattson, who taught first grade and kindergarten at Challenger Elementary in Thief River Falls, Minn. Carley’s Mayville State student teaching supervisor stated that “Carley displayed ambition above and beyond the basic expectations in many ways.” She pointed out her consistent use of "The Responsive Classroom" approach to building a community atmosphere of mutual respect and celebration of each student as a unique person with talents that were promoted and honored. “Challenges were respectfully approached by mutual plans of management that involved the student. She consistently taught ‘Morning Greetings’ that promoted positive social skills in a fun manner,” said Mattson’s supervisor.
Mayville State student teachers during the fall semester of 2014 were Christian Berry, Mayvile, N.D.; Abby Berven, Vergas, Minn.; Megan Callahan, Grafton, N.D.; Kyle Dallman, Argusville, N.D.; Kinzi Ferrell, Williston, N.D.; Krisha Fish, Butte, Mont.; Miranda Grinde, Portland, N.D.; Samangha Hambek Stenvold, Rutland, N.D.; Callie Howard, Plentywood, Mont.; Betty Hurst, Hatton, N.D.; Kody Keysor, Bottineau, N.D.; Kerri Lopez, Grafton, N.D.; Amber Mattson, Lidgerwood, N.D.; Carley Mattson, Thief River Falls, Minn.; Tina Nygard, Edinburg, N.D.; Scott Petry, Cando, N.D.; Esther Sailer, Cando, N.D.; Tyler Vincent, Bismarck, N.D.; Charlie Wells, Grygla, Minn.; Josh Wise, Brawley, Calif.; and Jenna Yri, Rugby, N.D.
Photos:Top: Student teacher Christian Berry (left) is pictured with his student teaching supervisor, Dr. Ron Semmens. In the late 1970s, Christian’s late mother, Laurie, was one of the first student teachers Dr. Semmens supervised at Mayville State. It is interesting to note that now her son, Christian, is one of the last student teachers to be supervised by Semmens during his long career in the field of education.
Bottom: Mayville State education students who have been student teaching during the fall semester and who attend the Dec. 3 student teaching banquet at Mayville State are (back, l-r) Charlie Wells and Christian Berry. Middle (l-r): Megan Callahan, Kyle Dallman, Kerri Lopez, Abby Berven, and Betty Hurst. In the front (l-r) are Kody Keysor, Samantha Stenvold, Miranda Grinde, Amber Mattson, and Tina Nygard.