Little Jhalil didn’t want to write. As the rest of the second grade students worked quietly writing their short stories, Mrs. McNeill pulled the boy to the side to work with him one-on-one and asked him what was wrong.

“My handwriting is ugly,” Jhalil said.

But Junior Meredith McNeill had a solution. She told the boy that if he dictated the story word by word, she would write it for him. Jhalil agreed and together they wrote a story longer than any other story he had ever written.

Jhalil was so proud of his story; he could not wait to show it to the teacher the next day.

McNeill, knowing that she had finally gotten through to Jhalil was a huge moment, the kind of rewarding experience that makes her love teaching.

McNeill is a Elementary and Middle Grades Education double-major but she is far from being just any ordinary student. Her involvement, motivation and passion for teaching has made her stand out as a student that has gone above and beyond in her learning experience.

McNeill is a North Carolina Teaching Fellow who is on the President’s List every semester.

“Meredith is motivated to excel in her academic work and settles for no less than her best,” said Professor of Education Glenda Crawford, her adviser. “She consistently goes beyond expectations and approaches assignments with a high degree of thoughtfulness.”

McNeill knew she wanted to become a teacher since she was in second grade.

“I love kids,” she said. “Interacting with them, being around them and teaching them.”

Crawford believes that McNeill has the potential to be a great teacher.

“She is an organized and careful planner who is already knowledgeable of a variety of instructional strategies and motivational techniques,” Crawford said.

McNeill takes 18 credit hours on top of teaching twice a week at Smith Elementary. She is also a teaching assistant in the Computers and Teaching Class for education majors and an active member of The Fire of the Carolinas marching band as part of the color guard.

McNeill said math is the subject she enjoys teaching the most, which is why she was the Elon math department's nominee for the 2007 Outstanding Mathematics Education Student for the Central Region of the N.C. Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

McNeill, who has worked for the last two summers at a daycare, said she would like to work with pre-kindergartners. After Elon she wants to get a masters degree in Early Childhood at UNC-Greensboro.

A&E Editor: Madelaine de la Ossa - 10/31/07