Welcoming Our Spring 2016 EFL Fellows!

Introducing the inaugural EFL Fellow class of the STEP! II Program. 5 fellows from Canada and the United States have been selected to teach intensive English as a Foreign Language classes at TYO. Read all about them!

Phoebe Shambaugh

Phoebe was born in a small town outside of Montpelier, Vermont, and lived there until moving to Chicago for her undergraduate degree. She graduated from the University of Chicago in 2013, where she did her B.A. in History (specifically late colonial and post-colonial history) and minored in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. She studied abroad in Cairo in 2011, and took Modern Standard Arabic for two years while in Chicago, but is extremely excited to spend time learning to actually speak in a colloquial Arabic.

For the past 16 months, Phoebe has worked on curriculum and international education at scale with social-enterprise company Bridge International Academies--specifically hands-on teaching, lesson, and curriculum work for upper primary English learners in their 400 schools in Kenya. While this has been invaluable experience, she is interested in working with education and NGOs at a local level. She is very excited to transition to working in such a community-focused organization as TYO, and to learn as much as possible about operating in this context.  Phoebe has also worked on other projects in the Middle East, including coaching two consecutive summers at nonprofit Ultimate Peace in Israel and a recent education consulting project in Beirut. In her free time, she plays ultimate Frisbee, and enjoys skiing, hiking and exploring new places, and reading.

Allison Chandler

Allison Chandler, originally from Toronto, Canada, has a Bachelor’s degree in Arts & Science & Peace Studies from McMaster University. In early 2016, she graduated with her Master’s in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London in the UK. She has worked with NGOs and development organizations across Canada and Europe, focusing on promoting development initiatives and post-conflict reconstruction. Throughout her time at university, Allison worked with local schools helping teach English to new immigrants in Canada.  She also acted as a Teaching Assistant for undergraduate courses at McMaster.

Allison is incredibly excited to join the TYO team as an EFL fellow this year. She is really looking forward to the opportunity to work with the people of Nablus and help support communities on the individual level. In her spare time, she loves to travel, go adventuring, try new things, and (mostly unsuccessfully) teach herself Arabic.

Mohammad Mousa

Mohammad Mousa was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He received his Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Ottawa in spring 2015, with a major in Conflict Studies and Human Rights, and a minor in Political Science. Mohammad's roots can also be traced back to Palestine and TYO. He is the son of Palestinian refugees from Ramallah & Jericho, and worked as the Zahi Khouri Fellow for TYO this past fall of 2015. The experience was a dream and he can't wait to get back to Nablus this spring as an ESL fellow.

Beyond TYO, Mohammad's past experiences include work as the coordinator for youth outreach and diversity programs with the Ottawa Police Service, as well as work for the Government of Canada. His passions and hobbies in his free time include sports and food (both cooking and eating). He also has a keen interest in languages being bilingual in English and French, and would like nothing more than to perfect his Arabic.

Kyra Zimmerman

Kyra Zimmerman was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She received her BA in 2015 from George Washington University, with a major in International Affairs (concentrating in Global Health) and a minor in dance. During the summer of 2013, Kyra interned at TYO and taught a range of classes including Arts & Crafts to 13-14 year olds and Fitness and Nutrition to women. The experience was life changing and she is ecstatic to be returning to TYO this spring as a fellow.

Beyond TYO, her past experiences are comprised of a consultancy at UNICEF and internships at organizations which include but are not limited to, the United Nations Foundation and the Ethiopian Community Development Council. In her free time Kyra loves to travel, write, workout, and attempt to teach herself languages.

Lyndsey Reed

Lyndsey Reed, originally from Massachusetts, received her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Applied Linguistics as well as certification in TESL from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. She received her Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York, New York. Lyndsey has been teaching ESL/EFL for over 9 years both in the United States and in other countries throughout the world.  In the United States, she has taught in Portland, Oregon; Amherst, Massachusetts; and currently resides and teaches in New York, New York.  Abroad, she has taught in Tokyo, Japan; Bangkok, Thailand; and Bonn, Germany.  Lyndsey has worked with diverse groups of students ranging in age, background, ability, and skill sets.  She immensely enjoys working with students to help further their English learning goals and looks forward to working with the students of Nablus in TYO's EFL program.  Lyndsey focuses on creating classrooms that are welcoming, fun, and engaging.

Aside from teaching, Lyndsey's interests and passions include language learning, music, hula hoop dance, exercise, roller skating, reading, cooking and travel. She is very excited to meet everyone in the TYO community and looks forward to an eventful three months.