Shamia Truitt is an accomplished educator with more than 28 years of experience dedicated to advancing educational excellence, civic engagement, and student well-being. Holding degrees from Boston University, Georgia State University (M.Ed.), and North Carolina Central University, she has served as a Durham Public Schools Mental Health Ambassador, Pulitzer Center curriculum developer, Literacy for Civic Life Fellow, and partner with Duke University’s Ready, Set, Resiliency initiative. Her work is grounded in fostering equitable, inclusive learning environments that cultivate belonging, resilience, and critical thinking while empowering students to become informed, engaged citizens. Through collaborative leadership and innovative instructional practices, Shamia is committed to creating meaningful learning experiences that strengthen both schools and communities.

My name is Sydney Falk, and I am going into my second year teaching 7th and 8th grade Social Studies at the North Carolina Leadership Academy. Teaching middle schoolers about deliberation and dissent excites me because it gives them an avenue to share their voices, think critically, analyze the world around them, and develop the skills they need to navigate society and become active, informed citizens.

My name is Danielle Henley and I teach 8^th grade Social Studies at Walkertown Middle School.  For the past 14 years, I’ve loved helping middle school students discover that Social Studies is more than names and dates – it’s a collection of stories and voices that continue to shape our world today.  I’m passionate about teaching deliberation and dissent because it empowers students to think critically, engage in meaningful conversations, and grow to become future leaders in their communities.

I am Ms. Edwards and I teach social studies in the middle school grades at AdVance Academy in Vance County. One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching middle school grades is helping students understand how constructive deliberation and responsible dissent work to promote social, cultural and economic development within a community.

I am Randy Christopher, and I am in my 20th year at West Lee Middle School, where I have taught both math and language arts.  Deliberation and dissent are exciting topics because it causes students to really think, and not just rotely memorize something. 

I’m Lyndse McCulley, and I’ve been teaching for four years. I currently teach at Fayetteville Christian School. I love teaching middle schoolers about deliberation and dissent because  it helps them figure out how to think for themselves, talk through tough ideas, and creates confident communicators who understand the power of respectful dialogue. 

I’m Teketa Wynn, a teacher at Fuquay-Varina Middle School, and this is my 25th year of teaching. I’m excited about building on the premises of deliberation and dissent in my language arts class because, as one professor mentioned, we have very few day-to-day opportunities to participate in democratic spaces. My hope is that my class will become that democratic training ground to engender civic involvement for my students.

I’m Katie Pacetti, a 6th/8th grade Humanities teacher at HOPE Academy in Concord, NC.  With 18 years of experience teaching middle schoolers, my favorite part is connecting the past to the current events of today.  Discussing and deliberating doesn’t have to cause division; instead it gives opportunities to think critically, engage respectfully, and discover how thoughtful dialogue can strengthen community and democracy. 

My name is Amber Myers, and I’m a 6th grade ELA teacher entering my 7th year of teaching at Carroll Middle School in Raleigh, NC. What excites me about teaching middle schoolers content related to deliberation and dissent is providing them an outlet to discuss things that matter to them, while learning how to agreeably disagree.

Adam Rosenberg holds a Master of Education from North Carolina State University and serves as an educator at Riverwood Middle School in Johnston County. He specializes in curriculum centered on deliberation and dissent, aiming to foster civic engagement in his classroom. He is deeply inspired by witnessing students articulate and defend their principles, particularly through structured exercises like “four corners” that challenge them to analyze viewpoints and formally present their arguments.

I have been teaching in North Carolina since 2010 and am currently at Apex Friendship Middle School in Wake County. By teaching deliberation and dissent, we can provide the skills to our students to grow as people and prepare them to be active and engage citizens in our world.

Katie Needell is an 8th grade Social Studies teacher at West Millbrook Magnet Middle School in Wake County. She has been teaching for 10 years and has taught both Social Studies and English Language Art. She gets excited teaching students about deliberation and dissent because it prepares middle schoolers for the world outside of school. They learn how to think critically and advocate for themselves as well as the importance of civic engagement.