Educating our future
7/13/2015 3:24:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse, Student Athlete
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
When students enter college, their future is up in the air. Some think they know what they want to do while others have no idea. Ultimately, college is a time for learning and exploration.
Lehigh women's lacrosse rising senior Hannah Street is a perfect example of someone who, through experience, has found a field she's passionate about. That field of work is teaching.
Two summers ago, the Management major taught for a nonprofit organization called Best Buddies International, which sparked her interest in Education.
"I was teaching individuals with intellectual and development disabilities," she said. "That was the first time I was really in front of a class and I fell in love with it."
The Best Buddies experience helped motivate Street to dive into a summer fellowship with Uncommon Schools, whose mission is to start and manage outstanding urban charter public schools that close the achievement gap and prepare low-income students to graduate from college. Uncommon Schools is based in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Ironically enough, Street is housed on Boston University's campus, a fellow Patriot League school.
"Finding this opportunity where I was really going to be immersed in the classroom and responsible for students really excited me," she said. "I thought learning from the best professional development leaders and being in front of a classroom would be the best way to enhance my teaching and really get the most out of this summer."
The opportunity rose from an innocent enough trip to the Lehigh career fair this past school year.
"Uncommon Schools was set up near the Teach for America booth," said Street. "I had actually interned for Teach for America before, so I was stopping by that booth. I happened to stop by the Uncommon Schools booth and picked up a flyer, applied online and was eventually flown out to Boston for a sample lesson where I had to give a brief lesson to about ten students.
"This was actually during the (lacrosse) season, so it was pretty crazy," she continued. "I had to miss a day, fly out and get back for practice the next day. Through a few more interviews, I was offered the position."
"We excuse our athletes from practice when there is an opportunity that we believe they cannot afford to miss," said Lehigh head coach Jill Redfern. "Our recruiting message is that you can have a balanced experience at Lehigh without sacrificing your desire to play lacrosse at a very high level. We have very high standards for our student-athletes and we expect an enormous commitment to our lacrosse program.
"Occasionally, our staff has the chance to return some well-earned respect to an athlete," Redfern continued. "This was one of those cases. One of the cornerstones of our program is that each of our young women graduates with a job offer or admission to a professional school. We believe it is our responsibility to facilitate this process."
Not only is Street earning valuable career experience, but she's also making a difference in the lives of youngsters.
There are five student in the fellowship, each paired with a mentor who is a teacher in the school.
"For the last three weeks (of the school year), we shadowed our mentors, learned their techniques and learned a little bit more about the classroom dynamics and about the charter school in general," said Street. "During those free times, we got eased into teaching. I started by running the beginning or end of lessons."
After the school year closes, the summer academy begins. Summer academy is three weeks long for those students who struggled academically and failed a class. The academy runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from Monday through Friday and focuses on areas that may have been missed on the final composition test.
"I am responsible for one section," said Street. "Right now, I'm teaching eighth grade math. Instead of helping in the back of the classroom, I now have my own group of 18 students that I lead for 72 minutes per day. We have only 11 instructional days to work with the students, have them take their final exam, then hopefully pass that class and get promoted to the next grade level."
Uncommon Schools focuses primarily on middle school students, but they're expanding in different directions. The goal is college readiness.
"Uncommon School's ultimate mission is to close that achievement gap for those low-income students located in troubled areas in different cities," said Street. "The organization is focused on areas in Boston, along with Camden (New Jersey), Troy (New York) and other areas where the graduation rates from high school and college are very low."
Street has always liked to get involved. At Lehigh, she's become involved with Best Buddies and will be coming back to Lehigh early to lead a group of first-year students as an orientation leader. She is also survivorship chair of an organization called Colleges against Cancer which helps put on Relay for Life and other cancer advocacy events. Not to mention, Street needs to balance her academics with her athletics as a Division I lacrosse player.
The Crofton, Maryland native embodies a student-athlete.
"I like to think I'm really trying to get all of what Lehigh has to offer," she said. "Athletics is amazing and I've learned so much, but I'm really happy to have experienced the different elements of campus and gotten to know a lot of different groups of students."
Through doing and putting herself in front of people, Street's summer fellowship essentially fell into her lap, as did the initial thought of teaching as a career.
"Until I got in front of a classroom and really saw how much I enjoy helping others - helping others learn and grow - was when it really hit me that I wanted to teach as a career," she said.
In the classroom, Street owns a stellar 3.89 cumulative GPA. She is an internship away (four credits) from earning her Bachelor's of Arts in Social Psychology and only needs six credits to earn her Management degree. She will also be starting work towards her Master's of Education degree this coming fall.
Street's success in a variety of areas is impressive. Her summer fellowship has seen her live on Boston University's campus, a place that has featured ups and downs of her lacrosse career.
"Because I am stationed in Boston and I attend the BU gym, it's really funny because there are so many memories that come to mind when I think of BU," she said. "I think about beating them (in 2014), then obviously the down of losing against them, too. It's definitely ironic to be running on the treadmill above BU then be able to look down at the field where so many memories have come from."
One of those memories was when the Mountain Hawks handed Boston University its first-ever Patriot League loss in 2014. After a strong 2014 campaign and an exciting 2015, Street hopes to add memories in her upcoming senior season.
"Going into 2016, I think we have a lot ahead of us," she said. "Since our classes of girls have gotten bigger over the years, we've had more people together for longer, so we're developing that history. As we move into this next year, we really have our eyes set on winning the Patriot League Championship. We definitely have the ability to do so. Coming together and using the chemistry that we have, on and off the field, will help us propel to the next level."
The Mountain Hawks are growing as a program, not only advancing to two straight Patriot League Tournaments, but also competing against some of the nation's elite. This past season, Lehigh won at eventual NEC Champion and NCAA Tournament team Bryant in thrilling fashion, won a nationally-televised game at Big Ten foe Rutgers and hung with Patriot League Champion and National Quarterfinalist Loyola. With less than seven minutes remaining, Lehigh was down just three (8-5) with a chance to pull closer.
Street knows she can play a significant role in the continued success of the Mountain Hawks' program.
"I think my role on the team has always been to lead by example," she said. "I try to lead through my hard work, on and off the field. Whether that be in the classroom or often times, in the weight room. I try to do my best to set up my teammates for success, whether that means helping them through an extra rep or putting five extra pounds on the bar.
"Going into next season, there are only four seniors and we're all very close," Street continued. "We're excited to work together and embody different elements of leadership. It will include me becoming a little bit more of a vocal leader now that I'm a senior and trying to get the most out of everybody's strengths."
Even though she's hard at work with her fellowship, waking up in the wee hours of the morning and getting home late, staying sharp and in shape is important. It's just one more obligation as a student-athlete.
"We have to be at work as early as 6:30, not including an hour transportation there and back," said Street. "I keep the rest of my team in the back of my mind to keep myself motivated. I go home and change, then get my workout in because I know that my teammates will be counting on me when I get back in the fall."
Skills learned in her fellowship translate to the lacrosse field and vice versa. In many ways, sports represent the ups and downs of the working world.
"I've been faced with many challenges where you just have to pick yourself up and keep going," said Street. "It's also taught me that I love working with students and I love helping others in their educational growth. Professionally, it's taught me how to work with others. We receive a lot of feedback from our mentor. Similar to how it is on the field, you have to receive that feedback, incorporate it and keep going."
As she approaches her senior year, Street will keep going and continue to make her impact as a student, athlete, volunteer and educator.
"Hannah has invested herself in terrific ways at Lehigh and she's reaped some incredible benefits as a result," said Redfern. "We ask each of our players to work hard every day, on and off the field, in order to become the very best version of themselves. Hannah delivers on her role on our lacrosse team and consistently seeks other ways to contribute to the university community in meaningful ways. She will join a distinguished and ambitious group of our women's lacrosse alumnae next May when she graduates and begins to make her mark on the world."
When students enter college, their future is up in the air. Some think they know what they want to do while others have no idea. Ultimately, college is a time for learning and exploration.
Lehigh women's lacrosse rising senior Hannah Street is a perfect example of someone who, through experience, has found a field she's passionate about. That field of work is teaching.
Two summers ago, the Management major taught for a nonprofit organization called Best Buddies International, which sparked her interest in Education.
"I was teaching individuals with intellectual and development disabilities," she said. "That was the first time I was really in front of a class and I fell in love with it."
The Best Buddies experience helped motivate Street to dive into a summer fellowship with Uncommon Schools, whose mission is to start and manage outstanding urban charter public schools that close the achievement gap and prepare low-income students to graduate from college. Uncommon Schools is based in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Ironically enough, Street is housed on Boston University's campus, a fellow Patriot League school.
"Finding this opportunity where I was really going to be immersed in the classroom and responsible for students really excited me," she said. "I thought learning from the best professional development leaders and being in front of a classroom would be the best way to enhance my teaching and really get the most out of this summer."
The opportunity rose from an innocent enough trip to the Lehigh career fair this past school year.
"Uncommon Schools was set up near the Teach for America booth," said Street. "I had actually interned for Teach for America before, so I was stopping by that booth. I happened to stop by the Uncommon Schools booth and picked up a flyer, applied online and was eventually flown out to Boston for a sample lesson where I had to give a brief lesson to about ten students.
"This was actually during the (lacrosse) season, so it was pretty crazy," she continued. "I had to miss a day, fly out and get back for practice the next day. Through a few more interviews, I was offered the position."
"We excuse our athletes from practice when there is an opportunity that we believe they cannot afford to miss," said Lehigh head coach Jill Redfern. "Our recruiting message is that you can have a balanced experience at Lehigh without sacrificing your desire to play lacrosse at a very high level. We have very high standards for our student-athletes and we expect an enormous commitment to our lacrosse program.
"Occasionally, our staff has the chance to return some well-earned respect to an athlete," Redfern continued. "This was one of those cases. One of the cornerstones of our program is that each of our young women graduates with a job offer or admission to a professional school. We believe it is our responsibility to facilitate this process."
Not only is Street earning valuable career experience, but she's also making a difference in the lives of youngsters.
There are five student in the fellowship, each paired with a mentor who is a teacher in the school.
"For the last three weeks (of the school year), we shadowed our mentors, learned their techniques and learned a little bit more about the classroom dynamics and about the charter school in general," said Street. "During those free times, we got eased into teaching. I started by running the beginning or end of lessons."
After the school year closes, the summer academy begins. Summer academy is three weeks long for those students who struggled academically and failed a class. The academy runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from Monday through Friday and focuses on areas that may have been missed on the final composition test.
"I am responsible for one section," said Street. "Right now, I'm teaching eighth grade math. Instead of helping in the back of the classroom, I now have my own group of 18 students that I lead for 72 minutes per day. We have only 11 instructional days to work with the students, have them take their final exam, then hopefully pass that class and get promoted to the next grade level."
Uncommon Schools focuses primarily on middle school students, but they're expanding in different directions. The goal is college readiness.
"Uncommon School's ultimate mission is to close that achievement gap for those low-income students located in troubled areas in different cities," said Street. "The organization is focused on areas in Boston, along with Camden (New Jersey), Troy (New York) and other areas where the graduation rates from high school and college are very low."
Street has always liked to get involved. At Lehigh, she's become involved with Best Buddies and will be coming back to Lehigh early to lead a group of first-year students as an orientation leader. She is also survivorship chair of an organization called Colleges against Cancer which helps put on Relay for Life and other cancer advocacy events. Not to mention, Street needs to balance her academics with her athletics as a Division I lacrosse player.
The Crofton, Maryland native embodies a student-athlete.
"I like to think I'm really trying to get all of what Lehigh has to offer," she said. "Athletics is amazing and I've learned so much, but I'm really happy to have experienced the different elements of campus and gotten to know a lot of different groups of students."
Through doing and putting herself in front of people, Street's summer fellowship essentially fell into her lap, as did the initial thought of teaching as a career.
"Until I got in front of a classroom and really saw how much I enjoy helping others - helping others learn and grow - was when it really hit me that I wanted to teach as a career," she said.
In the classroom, Street owns a stellar 3.89 cumulative GPA. She is an internship away (four credits) from earning her Bachelor's of Arts in Social Psychology and only needs six credits to earn her Management degree. She will also be starting work towards her Master's of Education degree this coming fall.
Street's success in a variety of areas is impressive. Her summer fellowship has seen her live on Boston University's campus, a place that has featured ups and downs of her lacrosse career.
"Because I am stationed in Boston and I attend the BU gym, it's really funny because there are so many memories that come to mind when I think of BU," she said. "I think about beating them (in 2014), then obviously the down of losing against them, too. It's definitely ironic to be running on the treadmill above BU then be able to look down at the field where so many memories have come from."
One of those memories was when the Mountain Hawks handed Boston University its first-ever Patriot League loss in 2014. After a strong 2014 campaign and an exciting 2015, Street hopes to add memories in her upcoming senior season.
"Going into 2016, I think we have a lot ahead of us," she said. "Since our classes of girls have gotten bigger over the years, we've had more people together for longer, so we're developing that history. As we move into this next year, we really have our eyes set on winning the Patriot League Championship. We definitely have the ability to do so. Coming together and using the chemistry that we have, on and off the field, will help us propel to the next level."
The Mountain Hawks are growing as a program, not only advancing to two straight Patriot League Tournaments, but also competing against some of the nation's elite. This past season, Lehigh won at eventual NEC Champion and NCAA Tournament team Bryant in thrilling fashion, won a nationally-televised game at Big Ten foe Rutgers and hung with Patriot League Champion and National Quarterfinalist Loyola. With less than seven minutes remaining, Lehigh was down just three (8-5) with a chance to pull closer.
Street knows she can play a significant role in the continued success of the Mountain Hawks' program.
"I think my role on the team has always been to lead by example," she said. "I try to lead through my hard work, on and off the field. Whether that be in the classroom or often times, in the weight room. I try to do my best to set up my teammates for success, whether that means helping them through an extra rep or putting five extra pounds on the bar.
"Going into next season, there are only four seniors and we're all very close," Street continued. "We're excited to work together and embody different elements of leadership. It will include me becoming a little bit more of a vocal leader now that I'm a senior and trying to get the most out of everybody's strengths."
Even though she's hard at work with her fellowship, waking up in the wee hours of the morning and getting home late, staying sharp and in shape is important. It's just one more obligation as a student-athlete.
"We have to be at work as early as 6:30, not including an hour transportation there and back," said Street. "I keep the rest of my team in the back of my mind to keep myself motivated. I go home and change, then get my workout in because I know that my teammates will be counting on me when I get back in the fall."
Skills learned in her fellowship translate to the lacrosse field and vice versa. In many ways, sports represent the ups and downs of the working world.
"I've been faced with many challenges where you just have to pick yourself up and keep going," said Street. "It's also taught me that I love working with students and I love helping others in their educational growth. Professionally, it's taught me how to work with others. We receive a lot of feedback from our mentor. Similar to how it is on the field, you have to receive that feedback, incorporate it and keep going."
As she approaches her senior year, Street will keep going and continue to make her impact as a student, athlete, volunteer and educator.
"Hannah has invested herself in terrific ways at Lehigh and she's reaped some incredible benefits as a result," said Redfern. "We ask each of our players to work hard every day, on and off the field, in order to become the very best version of themselves. Hannah delivers on her role on our lacrosse team and consistently seeks other ways to contribute to the university community in meaningful ways. She will join a distinguished and ambitious group of our women's lacrosse alumnae next May when she graduates and begins to make her mark on the world."
Players Mentioned
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