Article by Simone Gillespie and Logan Vann
Videos by Colin Garcia
Videos by Colin Garcia
Amanda Bednar
Chemistry Teacher
Mrs. Bednar is coming to ECA from Riverwood Middle School where she taught eighth grade science. Coming from a rather strict environment, she is adjusting well to the less strenuous task of keeping up with high schoolers who are given an excessive amount of freedom. Mrs. Bednar feels that the teachers and administration of ECA are amazing as well as the students, who she would describe as “cool” because she can be herself around them.
Like a majority of students, Bednar felt as though she didn’t quite fit in throughout her high school years. She reminisced on the fact that she was a big Harry Potter geek and believes this is one of the reasons she didn’t have many friends. Although it is hard to tell now, she claims she was into rock music, as well, and even wore JNCO jeans (if you don’t know what those are, I highly recommend looking them up)! She shares a lot of similar interests with the students at Early College and she understands the teenage struggle of highly anticipating college life when you’re stuck in high school, so it isn’t too hard to make a connection with her and get to know her on a more personal level.
Mrs. Bednar attended UNC Pembroke after graduating high school. She had planned on going to medical school after majoring in biology and chemistry, but then she fell into the path of research and was immediately hooked to it. After being a lab manager at Duke for two years and a research specialist at UNC Chapel Hill for two years, she became a teacher and has loved it ever since.
“I went to a not so great high school. I think that’s why I wanted to switch to education because I wanted to be that teacher that needed to be there for students because I didn’t have that in high school.”
Chemistry Teacher
Mrs. Bednar is coming to ECA from Riverwood Middle School where she taught eighth grade science. Coming from a rather strict environment, she is adjusting well to the less strenuous task of keeping up with high schoolers who are given an excessive amount of freedom. Mrs. Bednar feels that the teachers and administration of ECA are amazing as well as the students, who she would describe as “cool” because she can be herself around them.
Like a majority of students, Bednar felt as though she didn’t quite fit in throughout her high school years. She reminisced on the fact that she was a big Harry Potter geek and believes this is one of the reasons she didn’t have many friends. Although it is hard to tell now, she claims she was into rock music, as well, and even wore JNCO jeans (if you don’t know what those are, I highly recommend looking them up)! She shares a lot of similar interests with the students at Early College and she understands the teenage struggle of highly anticipating college life when you’re stuck in high school, so it isn’t too hard to make a connection with her and get to know her on a more personal level.
Mrs. Bednar attended UNC Pembroke after graduating high school. She had planned on going to medical school after majoring in biology and chemistry, but then she fell into the path of research and was immediately hooked to it. After being a lab manager at Duke for two years and a research specialist at UNC Chapel Hill for two years, she became a teacher and has loved it ever since.
“I went to a not so great high school. I think that’s why I wanted to switch to education because I wanted to be that teacher that needed to be there for students because I didn’t have that in high school.”
April Bernier
Biology Teacher
Mrs. Bernier, like her students, is getting used to a brand new environment. The freshmen that Mrs. Bernier teaches are adjusting to the high school environment while Mrs. Bernier is adjusting to a new state/home. She quite recently moved to North Carolina from Rhode Island.
Like many students at ECA, Mrs. Bernier described herself as a giant nerd during high school. She attended a prestigious private school where she focused on her studies. During high school, she joined every club that she could. If it was a thing, she was in it. Mrs. Bernier always had her nose stuck in a book during high school and the same can be said for today. She read and still reads anything that she can get her hands on. Her friends describe her taste in books, movies, and music as violent (i.e. horror books and movies).
After high school, Mrs. Bernier attended Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She planned on attending medical school after college, but that all changed when she took the MCAT exam. Her plans did not change because she failed the exam. Instead, they changed because she realized that she wasn’t excited about medical school. Most people jump for joy when they ace the MCAT, but Mrs. Bernier did not. That’s when she knew that she needed to find something that she loved and wanted to do for the rest of her life. She worked in the research field for a few years before deciding that she wanted to become a teacher. She loved school so much that she wanted to be paid to be in school for a career.
Since the first day of school, Mrs. Bernier has heard more students having more intelligent conversations about politics and social issues than any of the schools that she’s worked at before. She loves listening to what ECA’s students have to say, to see how engaged they are in their work, and how enthusiastic they are about their hobbies and interests.
“If you want to move a mountain, the way to move it is one rock at a time. If you want to journey a thousand miles. begin with one step. When things look overwhelming, look for the one step, the one piece that you can get done.”
Biology Teacher
Mrs. Bernier, like her students, is getting used to a brand new environment. The freshmen that Mrs. Bernier teaches are adjusting to the high school environment while Mrs. Bernier is adjusting to a new state/home. She quite recently moved to North Carolina from Rhode Island.
Like many students at ECA, Mrs. Bernier described herself as a giant nerd during high school. She attended a prestigious private school where she focused on her studies. During high school, she joined every club that she could. If it was a thing, she was in it. Mrs. Bernier always had her nose stuck in a book during high school and the same can be said for today. She read and still reads anything that she can get her hands on. Her friends describe her taste in books, movies, and music as violent (i.e. horror books and movies).
After high school, Mrs. Bernier attended Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She planned on attending medical school after college, but that all changed when she took the MCAT exam. Her plans did not change because she failed the exam. Instead, they changed because she realized that she wasn’t excited about medical school. Most people jump for joy when they ace the MCAT, but Mrs. Bernier did not. That’s when she knew that she needed to find something that she loved and wanted to do for the rest of her life. She worked in the research field for a few years before deciding that she wanted to become a teacher. She loved school so much that she wanted to be paid to be in school for a career.
Since the first day of school, Mrs. Bernier has heard more students having more intelligent conversations about politics and social issues than any of the schools that she’s worked at before. She loves listening to what ECA’s students have to say, to see how engaged they are in their work, and how enthusiastic they are about their hobbies and interests.
“If you want to move a mountain, the way to move it is one rock at a time. If you want to journey a thousand miles. begin with one step. When things look overwhelming, look for the one step, the one piece that you can get done.”