Noyce Scholar Profile
Kevin Merritt
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics, Physics, grades 6 - 12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
Michigan Technological University
Current academic or teaching status:
Graduate
School and school district:
West Iron County High School
Background:
I was born and raised in Marinette, WI and attended Menekaunee Elementary School as well as the local middle and high school. While growing up I played football, basketball, and baseball. I then attended Milwaukee School of Engineering for a year and then transferred to Michigan Technological University where I received my bachelor’s degree in spring 2013.
Why do you want to teach:
There are a few reasons I want to teach. I love to help other people, and teaching allows me to do that every day. I also really enjoy being around kids and love the feeling I get when I can help a student understand a topic. The last main reason I want to teach is because if I can reach students now and help them build the base to succeed, they will have all the tools necessary to impact the world in the future.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
When I took over for my student teaching experience, I had a student in my Algebra 1 class who had a 5 percent average. By the time I left the school, the student had a C- in the class. This is memorable because it sums up the exact reason I chose to be a teacher and apply for the Noyce program. I was able to take a struggling student who seemed to not care and motivate him to the point that he was now going to pass the class. The sheer joy on his face when he realized what his grade was will stick out in my mind forever.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has been a fantastic experience. It has allowed me to experience things I never would have otherwise, made me more prepared to be a full time teacher, and has provided me with countless resources that I would not have otherwise.
