Beth grew up in a small town in rural Vermont, passionate about helping her community. She enjoyed coaching soccer and leading environmental initiatives—including Trash on the Lawn Day—as the president of her high school’s environmental club. During her junior year at the College of Wooster she studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain. While in Barcelona, Beth participated in an exchange program with Morocco, where she lived with a host family and had cultural, economic, and political conversations with people from all over the Morocco, including her future husband! In her travels throughout Spain, Morocco, Egypt and Mexico, she met many people who were desperate for a better education, a better life, and more opportunities. When Beth began the prospectus for her undergraduate thesis, and inspired by her travels, decided to better understand economic development through the historical perspective. While writing her thesis she observed the importance of education throughout history and development.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in political science, Beth moved to Madrid, Spain to become an English teacher. In Madrid, she grew ever more appreciative of her own education and the teachers who guided her. After a year of teaching, Beth returned to the U.S. and moved to Washington D.C. in the hopes of joining the nonprofit sector. Upon moving to D.C., she joined Salzburg Global Seminar as a development intern. After completing her internship, Beth joined the 50CAN team in 2015 to help fight for educational equity.
I aspire to be like JR. Here’s why:
JR—the anonymous photographer who uses the entire world as his gallery. In 2006, he began on the streets of Paris, France illegally pasting billboard-sized photographs in the bourgeois areas of Paris to humanize residents of every corner of the city. He also traveled to Palestine and Israel to launch a similar—and powerful—exhibition in a tense and often conflicting region. JR’s exhibitions have spread to six continents and have given a voice to those who would have otherwise remained anonymous. In 2011, he won the TED Prize for his work, and launched a new exhibition that allowed people from around the world to create their own art projects in their communities.
JR heard the call for advocacy and answered it the way he knew how—through art. He saw issues around the world and did something about them. I too want to take action for the causes I believe in, and I want to take this action in an effective and creative way.
Education has the unique and unlimited ability to change the world. Raw talent can do so much more if it is developed and enhanced through education: improve education and the results will follow in healthcare, infrastructure, climate change, prosperity and countless other areas.
50CAN approaches education issues in all directions. Those of us at 50CAN do not think linearly, but rather try to surround the issues in order to conquer them both on a national and state level. The innovative ideas and methodologies are the reason I love working with the 50CAN team. It’s inspiring to contribute in an organization making meaningful change in education.
I am the proud product of a public school education. Raised in Vermont, I was lucky enough to attend excellent public schools with terrific teachers who inspired and pushed me to become better in all facets of life. I am eternally grateful for the education I have received.
I’m not great with patience—help the cause or get out of my way! I also need to work on speaking slowly. Having been an English teacher, I have repeatedly tried to speak slower; however, as soon as I am not actively thinking about it my mind and mouth begin to race!
I took this image while exploring border towns in upstate New York. During my time in the North Country, I repeatedly heard the plights of those struggling to improve local education and the local economy. This photo reminds me that a good education should not only result from living in a privileged zip code.