Summer at Cal U: One Year in for First Rutledge Scholars

Jun 03, 2019

Seven students — the first class of scholars at the Karen and Tom Rutledge Institute for Early Childhood Education — finished their academic year at Cal U with a three-week summer workshop.

rutledge scholars

Rutledge Scholar Grace Pinto works with students in the Rutledge Institute preschool during the summer workshop.

 

During the “pre-K immersion,” scholars spent the day with children ages 3-5 at the Rutledge Institute preschool, located in the Morgan Learning Resource Center.   

As the summer workshop concluded May 31, scholars were helping children understand oil and water don’t mix, yellow and blue make green, and lava lamps are pretty cool. 

“The summer workshop allows the Rutledge Scholars to spend a significant period of time with children,” said Dr. Rebecca Maddas, an assistant professor in the Department of Childhood Education and coordinator of the Rutledge Institute Scholars program. 

“They plan and teach lessons, which gives them the opportunity to apply what they have learned this year to a real classroom setting. And they do it while they’re freshmen, instead of during their sophomore years.” 

“We spend time with the preschoolers during the school year, but this was a good opportunity to interact with the children and connect more with them,” said scholar Aamaria Hall. 

About the Rutledge Institute 

Academically qualified students are encouraged to apply to the Karen and Tom Rutledge Institute for Early Childhood Education. Funded through a historic $4.2 million gift from the Rutledges, the institute brings teachers from The Village, a nationally accredited childhood education center, to campus to provide high-quality preschool education for eligible children ages 3-5. 

The institute also offers exceptional learning opportunities and full-tuition scholarships for future teachers enrolled at Cal U as Rutledge Institute Scholars. 

Information and application