Passionate Teacher
“No Stevie, you are not afraid to shine. You see, every star must have a reason for shining. Some stars shine just to show off. Some stars shine to make pictures in the sky. Each star must have his own reason for shining.”
Excerpt from
“Stevie Star, the Star Who Could Not Shine” (1955)
by Dora McLellan
Learn about Dora McLellan
Dora McLellan was born in 1935 to a hard working family where both her mom and dad worked in a dress factory to provide for her and her younger brother. Her life wasn’t without its struggles but it was very happy. Dora was not a natural student and good grades didn’t come easy, but she earned the respect of her teachers by working her tail off and she reveled in the social aspects of the clubs she belonged to and the lifelong friends she made. Even in her teens, she understood that school was about a lot more than getting straight A’s.
Maybe that’s why she decided to be a teacher, so that her classroom could be a safe place for kids like her – kids who had to really work to excel and for some of them, exceling might be a C+.
One of Dora’s college assignments was to write a children’s story. Her book, Stevie Star, the Star Who Could Not Shine was that homework assignment. It was published 40 years later and is now available on Amazon. The book’s message was that everyone has a unique purpose and that once you discover what it is, you can use your talents to bring that purpose to life. That philosophy was at the core of Dora’s teaching.
Scholarship Requirements
To be considered for the Dora McLellan Memorial Scholarship, applicants must be a senior student studying in the area of Elementary Education. Applicants must complete the online scholarship application, https://finaid.uni.edu/scholarship for consideration. The priority deadline for the scholarship award is January 15, 2018.
Also, applicants must read Stevie Star (download it here) and the information on Dora McLellan here. Then, complete an essay addressing the two questions below. The essay must be in Word or PDF format and no more than two pages double spaced in length with a font no smaller than 10.
- After reading Stevie Star and the information on DoraMcLellan’s teaching philosophy, tell us how you will help your future students discover their reason for shining?
- Dora McLellan brought her unique talents, beliefs and experiences to her classroom. What unique talents, beliefs and experiences do you possess that will bring that broader definition of education to life?
Students should submit their completed essay to Donna Ubben, SEC 613.
For questions, contact Jane Halverson, Director of Development, College of Education, jane.halverson@uni.edu or by calling the UNI Foundation at 319-273-4665.
