History and Science Make a Summer to Remember: Shell Oil Foundation Teaching Fellow Randall Reed
Jasmine Williams, Summer Public Relations Intern

University of South Alabama (USA) graduate student Randall Reed viewed the beach as more than a summer playground; as a recipient of Shell Oil Foundation's Minority Teaching Fellowship, he learned how the beach could become nature's most engaging classroom.

A native of Citronelle, Alabama, and a graduate student of Education and Social Sciences at USA, Randy aspires to be a high school history teacher. During this summer, Randy's main responsibilities were attending the teacher workshops, assisting with the day camps for kids, and helping the educators whenever needed. In doing so, Randy cherished the opportunity to learn from his peers and professionals.

He said, "It's fun to pick the brains of people that have been in the field for many so years. It's exciting because this is what I want to become; these are the people I aspire to be like."

Randy couldn't help but be influenced by the rich marine life and enthusiastic educators, researchers, and scientists at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. He stated, "I learned a lot about the environment, the Gulf Coast, and marine life. I hope to one day incorporate these environmental aspects into my own classroom."

With his internship now complete, Randall Reed has returned to his classes at the University of South Alabama with new knowledge, lots of friends, and the confidence he needs to succeed in the classroom. He plans to begin student teaching in his hometown at Citronelle High School.