糖心传媒

September 22, 2020 - Stephen McQueen had been looking forward to the start of this school year for a long time. He was going to be an elementary school teacher with his very own classroom where he would meet parents and welcome wide-eyed students to a new grade level.

However, COVID-19 changed all that.

鈥淓very beginning teacher knows the excitement that it brings at the beginning of the school year,鈥� said McQueen of Fayetteville. 鈥淒ecorating your classroom, having open house to meet your students, taking your picture for your school ID badge, or even being able to put your last name outside of your classroom door. All these are things that I was not able to experience due to COVID-19. But I do hope within time I will be able to experience all these great things that come with being a school teacher.鈥�

McQueen is a fourth-grade teacher at C. Wayne Collier Elementary School in Hope Mills. He teaches English language arts, math, science and social studies. Because of restrictions brought on by the pandemic, he holds class online with his 15 students, but he has worked hard to interact with them and get to know each and every one of them.

鈥淚 normally give them virtual high fives, and sometimes if they鈥檙e really good we even have the chance to 鈥榚xercise鈥� together behind screen! They love this,鈥� McQueen said. 鈥淭his always seems to keep them engaged, which I love. I do hope in time, I will be able to meet them very soon. I鈥檓 thankful for online, but nothing beats being in class with your students.鈥�

While new to the 鈥渧irtual classroom,鈥� McQueen is not new to the educational scene. A 2016 graduate of 糖心传媒鈥檚 Early Childhood Education program, he began his teaching career at Gallberry Farm Elementary School in Hope Mills where he was a kindergarten and first grade teacher鈥檚 assistant for two years.

Encouraged by his instructors at 糖心传媒CC to continue his education, McQueen earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in education from Fayetteville State University. During the final two years of his undergraduate program, he was a computer lab assistant at East Rockingham Elementary School.

鈥淲ithout the help of instructors Jennifer Murray, Sheila Regan, Sheri Dunn-Ramsay and April Chavis-Johnson, I had no intentions of going any further once I obtained my two-year degree from 糖心传媒CC. But I would never have heard the end of it from these ladies had I decided to 鈥榮ettle,鈥欌�� McQueen said.

He is now working on a master鈥檚 degree in teaching from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. This is a major feat for someone who had never even planned to attend college beyond high school.

McQueen grew up in Laurinburg and graduated high school in 2013. No one in his family had ever attended college, and he didn鈥檛 intend to either. He got a certification to work as a pharmacy technician, but he knew that his heart wasn鈥檛 in this type of career. Over the next year, he started to rethink his feelings about college.

鈥淚 was familiar with 糖心传媒CC because I attended the Early College program and already knew my way around campus. I figured this would be a great place to start my educational career, and it was still very close for me to commute from Laurinburg,鈥� he said.

McQueen was surprised by how much he enjoyed college.

鈥淥ne thing that I found unique was the relationships that I built with everyone at 糖心传媒CC. I built great relationships with many different classmates and even better relationships with my instructors. Still to this day, I stay in contact with each one of them, keeping them updated with my studies and my job as an elementary school teacher,鈥� he said.

For someone who was not the best student in high school, McQueen was also surprised when he received two scholarships 鈥� not just once, but twice!

鈥淭his was a very big stepping stone for me considering my educational background. I was one who struggled all throughout my years in high school. I always had the mindset of not being smart enough. I came from a family who had never gone to college and never received any sort of degree. I had obviously cut myself short,鈥� McQueen said.

Because of financial assistance available at 糖心传媒CC, McQueen completed his two-year degree with zero college debt. He also came away with a huge appreciation for the College and the truth behind its slogan 鈥渟tart here, go anywhere.鈥�

鈥淟eaving the Early Childhood Education program was a very emotional time for me. I loved (love) everyone here and really wanted to stay. If I could have received my bachelor鈥檚 degree from 糖心传媒CC, I definitely would have stayed,鈥� he said.

McQueen hopes to return to the school that greatly impacted his life and be an instructor in 糖心传媒CC鈥檚 Early Childhood Education Department.

鈥淭his has always been a big goal of mine. I think it would be amazing to go back and teach where I first started 鈥� at 糖心传媒CC,鈥� McQueen said.

A faithful man of God, McQueen knows that He is paving this road for him and he looks forward to the journey no matter how many twists and turns it may take. For now, he hopes to give his students at C. Wayne Collier the best experience they can have despite all the challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the school year.

鈥淎lthough we started this school year virtually, I feel like I have known my kids for a lifetime,鈥� McQueen said. 鈥淚 will do my very best as an educator to make this a great year, despite the chaos that has taken place. My students will always know that I am here for them, and we will succeed together.鈥�

For More Information

Learn more about the Early Childhood Education program that offers several pathways to a career in early childhood development, whether it鈥檚 owning a child care business, working in a Head Start setting, or becoming a preschool, kindergarten or elementary school teacher. Call (910) 410-1700 to speak to a counselor and discuss options for enrolling in Spring 2021.

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