"I've Fallen So In Love With Education"

Three young educators share what they learned in time spent teaching as Shelburne Farms fellows

For the past several years, Shelburne Farms has welcomed educators who are early in their careers for fellowship positions. While leading children of all ages in our school programs and summer camps and living here on the farm, fellows gain a unique, immersive perspective on Education for Sustainability, and lasting lessons about what it means to be transformed by a place. 

We talked with three recent fellows about their experiences teaching with Shelburne Farms, what the experience taught them, and what’s next in their careers.

Ivy Befeler
University of Vermont Fellow 2023 and Burlington City and Lake Semester Education Fellow 2023–2024

Ivy graduated from UVM with a major in middle level education, and with a Place-Based Education Certificate, a partnership of UVM and Shelburne Farms. In the second year of her fellowship, she served as a co-teacher in Burlington City and Lake Semester. Ivy is now teaching math at Tuttle Middle School in South Burlington, Vermont.

Naomi Gordon
Middlebury College Fellow 2023 and Summer Camp Educator 2024

Naomi graduated from Middlebury in 2024 as an architecture and geography major and is now teaching English in Spain.

Raina Carfaro
Post-Graduate Education Fellow 2024

Raina completed her graduate degree in community development and planning from Clark University in 2024 and joined us as an educator in school programs and summer camps. She is now working on an organic farm in New Zealand, building her experience working with the land. More about the postgraduate fellowship program.