2 West Orange Teachers Earn Prestigious Fulbright Scholar Awards

WEST ORANGE, NJ — It’s one of the most well-respected achievements in academia – and West Orange has two teachers who took it home for 2022-2023.

West Orange High School English teacher Christina Biddle and Edison Middle School English teacher Maheen Ahmad have been named Fulbright Scholars, the district announced this week. It’s no small feat, administrators pointed out:

“According to the U.S. State Department, ‘The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program. For over 75 years, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants - chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential - with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.’”

Here’s what each educator will be doing with their award, the West Orange Public School District said.

Christina Biddle – Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Research

Biddle said that she will be living in Helsinki, Finland for six months, conducting an inquiry project on Finland's “unique approach to phenomenon-based learning and how it might lead to a greater understanding of the interconnectedness of life, as well as feelings of joy, purpose, agency and hope.”

“I also plan to investigate how phenomenon-based learning might engage students in reading great literature, producing authentic writing and designing meaningful projects which may have a community and global impact,” Biddle said.

“I will be assigned to an advisor at the University of Helsinki and will be travelling to schools throughout the country to observe and speak with students and teachers,” the educator added. “I look forward to sharing my findings with the community upon my return.”

Prior to coming to West Orange, she taught English, humanities and documentary filmmaking for several years in New York City.

Biddle said she is honored to have taught in the high school English department for the past 10 years in West Orange. She added that she's especially grateful to all of her colleagues for "sharing their brilliant ideas and creativity over the years," as well as to her supervisor, Ms. Veneziano, for "her support, wisdom and guidance." She also thanked Mr. Moore and Ms. Towson for "all their support and encouragement over the years."

Maheen Ahmad – Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program award

Ahmad, who has taught at Edison Middle School since graduating from college in 2013, said she never imagined where her career would take her.

“I'm enormously grateful for all the support and encouragement I've received over the years, and especially from administrators like Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Melendez and Ms. Veneziano,” she said.

District administrators said that over the past several years, Ahmad has continued to evolve as a teacher, pursuing a master's degree in instructional technology and media at Teachers College, presenting numerous workshops in the district, helping Edison Middle School to earn School to Watch and Future Ready awards, and becoming a doctoral candidate in teacher education at Montclair State University.

Ahmad said that learning about the education systems of different countries has always been a dream of hers. And with the Fulbright award, she’ll get the hands-on opportunities she’s always craved, administrators said:

“In addition to conferences and training, Ahmad will spend two weeks in a select country learning about their education systems, and spending two weeks in a select country learning about their education systems. Participating countries include Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, South Korea and more.”

“This school district has been and continues to be a fantastic district in which to grow and develop,” Ahmad said. “I wouldn't be who I am today without West Orange, and I'm grateful beyond words for that.”

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