Eugene Wheeler

Eugene Wheeler, a fifth-grade teacher, was selected by the United States Department of Education to participate in the 2009 Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program.  Mr. Wheeler and 15 other elementary school educators from across the country will spend five weeks in southern Mexico this summer.  The program takes participants off the beaten path to urban, rural and remote locations to gain a deeper knowledge on the origins and the impact of current issues such as globalization and migration.  The seminar will explore different expressions of Mexican folklore such as hand-made handicrafts, traditional cuisine, music, medicine and religious practices to provide participants with a new perspective on Mexico they might then share with their students and colleagues.  Mr. Wheeler is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with degrees in Mass Communications and Journalism.  He earned his teaching certificate at East Carolina University and is in his 8th year of teaching.