These 4 make a difference in Triangle schools. Vote for who will be Education Superhero.
We’re down to the Final Four.
Hundreds of thousands of votes have been cast in the first two rounds of our Education Superheroes contest that recognizes the teachers, principals, assistants and volunteers who have made a difference in students’ lives in Triangle-area K-12 schools.
We started with 18 very deserving educators and volunteers. They come from all over and from all disciplines, from Latin to English to agriculture. They’re teachers, administrators and support staff.
There’s no doubt that all 18 are superheroes. But we asked for your votes to narrow down the field to 10 people and then to four finalists.
We’ve got one more round to decide which of the four finalists will be named Triangle Education Superhero.
The final round of voting will end at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31.
Here’s more about the four finalists.
Education Superhero finalists
Lauren Casteen
English and social studies teacher, Northern High School in Durham
Lauren Casteen has wanted to be a teacher since she was 5 years old and discovered that school is fun.
Casteen realized that she could stay in school all day long if she was a teacher. Now 32, she is trying to instill that same love of school to her students at Northern High School in Durham.
“Teaching is my favorite thing and I’ve never wanted to do anything else,” Casteen said.
She’s in her 10th year of teaching. She spent her first five years in Johnston County before relocating to Durham Public Schools.
Casteen is licensed to teach three subjects: English, social studies and family and consumer science. This means she can work with the same students multiple times during their high school career.
“I really like the kids, so the subject doesn’t matter as much to me,” she said.
Casteen’s commitment to her students was noted in her Education Superhero nomination. She inspires a love of history and psychology in her students and has turned yearbook into one of the school’s popular electives.
“She truly cares for each student individually, meets them where they are, and helps them to grow into the best people they can be in the time she has with them,” according to the nomination.
Now Casteen is hoping to attract the next generation of educators through a “grow your own teachers” program. Using a recently obtained grant, she hopes to create a partnership where Durham high school students will have their college tuition forgiven if they agree to teach in the district after graduation.
As honored as she is to be an Education Superhero finalist, Casteen says she realizes that she’s not the only person who gives their time to help students.
“It’s nice to be recognized,” Casteen said. “But hundreds and thousands of other teachers are doing the same thing. Many other classroom educators are superheroes too.”
Aveni Ghosh
Counselor, McDougle Elementary School in Chapel Hill
Aveni Ghosh traces the start of her education career back to when her parents immigrated to the U.S. from a small village in India.
Ghosh’s parents were looking for a better life for themselves and their future children. Ghosh is now trying to make sure other children have the chance for a bright future as the school counselor at McDougle Elementary in Chapel Hill.
“I never dreamt that I would grow up to have a career I love this much,” Ghosh, 33, said. “My job is never boring, nor is it one that has consistent days, and I love every minute of it.
“I have the joy of working with every student in grades K-5. I also get to build relationships and foster connections with every educator in my building, and that is something I treasure so much.”
Ghosh’s initial professional education experience started in 2012 in Teach for America, which recruits college graduates to serve as teachers for at least two years in low-income communities. She was placed in a first-grade classroom in Durham and stayed for four years.
While she enjoyed being a teacher, Ghosh said she felt she could do even more for students. She reflected on how her high school counselor had shaped her future — and how she could do the same for other students.
Ghosh went back to school to get her master’s degree in school counseling and found her place at McDougle Elementary. She says her job is to help the students acquire and apply the knowledge and skills they need to develop healthy identities, manage their emotions, develop and demonstrate empathy for others, foster meaningful relationships and be able to make responsible decisions.
“She strives to give her students confidence and the social/emotional skills they need to succeed long term,” according to her nomination. “She also aims to arm parents with tools to help build resiliency in their students. And, she works to strengthen the community by providing resources and being one herself for mental health.”
Mary Hunter Martin
Magnet coordinator and librarian, Partnership Elementary School in Raleigh
Mary Hunter Martin’s official job titles at Partnership Elementary School in Raleigh are librarian, magnet coordinator and testing coordinator.
But to the people who nominated her for Education Superhero, you can add words like “fairy godmother” and “beating heart of Partnership.” Parents and teachers say they can’t imagine what life would be like without Martin, who has worked at Partnership since it opened 25 years ago.
“She possesses a unique talent for making each student feel special, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment,” a parent wrote in her nomination. “Mrs. Martin is the heart, soul and backbone of our school, playing an instrumental role in every aspect of education. Her dedication and passion are immeasurable, and without her, our school would be truly lost.”
Martin once operated the Black Dog Cafe — a restaurant in downtown Raleigh that catered to both people and pets — before switching to a career in education.
Martin, 59, said she knew she always wanted to work with young kids, so she felt fortunate to join Partnership when it opened. She has since taken on many different hats at the magnet school, including working with the PTA to raise money and creating community building events for families.
“I love coming to work every day,” Martin said. “Our students are remarkable, and our parents are outstanding.”
No matter the need, parents say Martin steps up to ensure its covered. Now the small school of 270 students is rallying around Martin to see she gets her due.
“Mrs. Martin is the mother of Partnership,” one of her nominees wrote. “She is everything I could aspire to be as a person and parent. I can’t imagine this school without her in it. She amazes me everyday.”
Tim Velegol
Engineering program coordinator, Riverside High School in Durham
Tim Velegol has gone from training U.S. Navy officers and working on NASA missions to now guiding high school students into engineering careers.
Seventeen years ago, Velegol “retired” from careers in engineering and business to pursue his lifelong passion of being a school teacher. But instead of teaching math and science in Durham Public Schools, he’s now the engineering program director at Riverside High School.
“I get to work with some of the best and brightest students in our school district,” Velegol, 62, said. “And I think of all 450 of them that way. To help young people pave their way to a successful future not just through rigorous course work, but by using coordinated, intentional tools that keep their eyes on that prize, is something I look forward to being a part of every day.”
Velegol is applying some of the same skills he used when he trained Naval officers to operate Trident class nuclear submarines and worked as a NASA subcontractor on the Aqua and Aura satellite missions.
During Velegol’s tenure, the engineering program’s enrollment at Riverside has grown to 450 students. Riverside has been recognized multiple times by the Project Lead The Way program for providing a rigorous college prep program for students.
“Mr. Velegol is the heart and soul of a program that has led Riverside to being named a PLTW Distinguished High School for an unprecedented 6th consecutive year,” according to a nomination form. “ (Only two other schools in the state have earned this honor.) 2023 Engineering program seniors were offered almost $11 million in scholarship money.
“Mr. Velegol keeps track of the students’ grades and attendance like they were his own kids. Durham is so lucky to have him.”
This story was originally published May 16, 2023 at 5:30 AM with the headline "These 4 make a difference in Triangle schools. Vote for who will be Education Superhero.."
