LHS teacher wins Fulbright Award
By Bethan L. Jones/ Staff Writer
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Physics students at Lexington High School will have a bit of a shake up next year.
Physics
and astronomy teacher David Colarusso is leaving for a year on a
Fulbright teacher exchange; Colarusso will be teaching physics and
general science at Broughton High School in Edinburgh, Scotland and
Alison Russell will take Colarusso's place, taking the year to teach in
Lexington.
Colarusso
had been a staple at LHS in recent years, developing an astronomy class
and a new computer system to run the school attendance. He admitted he
has only visited the UK once during college and is eager to spend time
seeing more of the country.
Russell,
also a science teacher, grew up in Scotland and has been teaching for
eight years. Aside from spending two years teaching English as a second
language in Turkey and Italy, she has spent her life in Scotland.
Colarusso
said he has been interested in doing a Fulbright exchange for two years
after a teacher from the UK was interested in doing an exchange with
Lexington. No one was able to go at the time but the possibility of
spending a year teaching in another country got Colarusso interested
enough to start an application, which he submitted in September. In
December he was interviewed before a panel of former Fulbright teachers.
While
teachers may pass the application process, it does not ensure they get
to go as there must be a match in teaching subject and ability to allow
for an exchange. Colarusso marked down the UK, India and Ghana as his
top three choices.
Russell,
who said teaching in another country "seemed like an amazing thing to
do," placed the United States at the top of her list followed by New
Zealand and Canada. She presented at the perfect match for Colarusso.
Lexington High School, however, had to approve the match to "make sure
the teaching was at the same level," said Colarusso. With her
experience both in the UK and in Europe, Russell proved to be enough of
Colarusso's equal to allow the exchange to happen.
Since
getting the final OK, the two teachers have been communicating via
e-mail, sending curriculum and course plans across the Atlantic.
"I
feel like I will be prepared," said Colarusso, adding the Fulbright
program also works to prepare teachers for their time away. Before
flying to Scotland on Aug. 8, Colarusso and Russell will be attending a
four-day orientation in Washington, D.C.
The
orientation will be the only real time the two will get to meet, a
slightly strange concept when Colarusso will be staying in Russell's
apartment in Edinburgh and both will be teaching classes with each
other's colleagues in their respective schools.
Colarusso
offered Russell his condominium in Leominster but the length of the
commute was inhibitive so he went on an apartment search and secured
her an apartment in Somerville for the year.
Once
in Scotland, Colarusso said he has no specific plans but hopes he will
get the chance to travel and see more of the UK and Europe.
Russell
said she has only been to the United States twice on family vacations
when she was younger. Both times she flew into Boston and "it was total
luck that I got placed [in Lexington.]" On her previous visits Russell
saw Washington, D.C.; Williamsburg and Richmond, VA; the Blue Ridge
Mountains; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Niagara Falls.
Both teachers see the exchange as an opportunity to experience a different country and education style.
"She'll
bring something special here ... and I'll be there," said Colarusso.
"We'll both come back and be affected by the experience."
"I
am sure I will have loads and ideas and thoughts to take back and share
with my classes in Edinburgh and hopefully build some links so that the
children can talk to each other and find out first hand about their
different lives," said Russell.
Russell
said she is currently preparing her flat for Colarusso's arrival and
"organizing friends to make David welcome."
Colarusso
said he is a bit sad to be leaving is colleagues in Lexington, but he
is confident they will be an excellent support system for Russell.
"She's
coming into a school with a really great set of colleagues," he said.
"They are all eager to help her in any way they can."
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