From the community: University of Connecticut Student Named Nancy Larson Foundation Scholar
Joseph Couture
Broad Brook, CT – (January 20, 2015) – University of Connecticut student Joe Couture has been named a Nancy Larson Foundation Scholar and awarded a $1,000 scholarship in recognition of his outstanding academic record and community service.
The Nancy Larson Foundation proudly supports students across the country majoring in elementary education by awarding scholarships to deserving students each year. Couture is one of seven recipients selected from the many applications received by the Foundation.
Couture is a junior majoring in elementary education. For four years he has also worked as a daycare provider, pre-K teaching assistant, and summer camp counselor for the East Windsor Family Resource Center. He worked with students who spoke English as a second language and had immigrated from Poland, China and other countries, as well as children with physical challenges and learning disabilities. He has volunteered at numerous elementary schools as a tutor and mentor while maintaining a 3.548 GPA.
“Having worked in such a variety of communities, I understand that I need to be sensitive to the needs of a multicultural classroom full of students with varying levels of ability,” Couture said in his winning application. “My commitment is to make my classroom a space where all students can succeed no matter their background.”
“Joe is a very caring and community-service oriented person. We were inspired by his commitment to working with children from multicultural backgrounds as well as children with physical challenges and learning disabilities. I know Joe will be a great teacher,” said Nancy Larson.
Juniors, seniors and graduate students who have declared an elementary education major are invited to submit a personal narrative about about why they want to teach, what personal experiences they have had that inspired them to teach and what will make them excellent teachers. Applicants are also asked to include community service activities and experiences they have had working with children.
Larson, a former teacher and curriculum director, has dedicated her life to advancing elementary education. Her original Saxon Math K-4 program was developed because teachers needed a classroom-tested math program that would prepare children for advanced math classes. In recent years, Larson has used the same approach to develop Nancy Larson Science for kindergarten through fourth-grade students. The program was written to provide in-depth science content in an easy-to-teach format.