Ms. Durham leads West Wendover High School’s Teach and Train program, which prepares high school students for careers in education. Students explore the foundations of teaching, child development, classroom planning and the legal side of working with learners. They also get hands-on experience by designing lessons and activities, giving them a real feel for the classroom.
She brought in another exciting resource called TeachRock—a nationwide program that brings learning to life through music and culture. Started by Stevie Van Zandt and supported by big names like Bono, Bruce Springsteen and Martin Scorsese, TeachRock offers free, creative, standards-aligned lessons for teachers across all subjects and grade levels.
Last year, Durham’s Teach and Train students used TeachRock’s Harmony Student Wellness lesson to design creative journals that support the emotional growth of students in special education classrooms. They used music, poetry and visual art to make something meaningful—and it worked. Students loved the journals so much that West Wendover Middle School requested 100 copies.
Word of their success spread. TeachRock invited Durham to speak at an EdWeb webinar with nearly 200 educators in attendance. Many wanted copies of the journals, impressed by the creativity and impact shown by the high schoolers.
Recently, Durham and her students entered a TeachRock fundraiser challenge to design a T-shirt that celebrated both the program and its roots in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Her class created a one-of-a-kind shirt—using materials bought for their Teach and Train class—and won first place.
Two programs. One passionate educator. And dozens of students discovering how creativity, care and culture can transform education. Thanks to Kathy Durham, West Wendover is showing the rest of the country what’s possible when students are given tools to lead, create and teach with heart.
