Becky Junge is a 5th Grade English teacher in a Spanish Language Dual Immersion program at Verda James Elementary School in Casper, Wyoming. Students in this program spend half of their day immersed in Spanish instruction and the other half in English instruction. While with Junge, students work on Reading/ELA skills, Social Studies and Math, and Junge works to support Spanish Language acquisition and production as well as Spanish Culture and Science taught by her native Spanish speaking partner.
Junge incorporates Conscious Discipline structures to build a school family and works hard to build a strong community where students feel seen, heard, loved and essential. Students have daily jobs and are working towards building empathy, compassion and self regulation skills daily.
Junge still works to incorporate real-world scenarios and connections to their learning. Students participate in an experiential colonization simulation, study the constitution and participate in a classroom Congressional Hearing as they explore and understand government. Community connection still remains a big focus for Junge as she constantly looks for opportunities to engage community stakeholders in student learning, be it through job interviews, engaging with state policy-makers, and more.
Junge has also remained active in her state networks through participation in the Wyoming Department of Education's Level Up Cohort. Through this lens, she has met with key policy makers and helped provide a teacher voice to legislative action, as well as engaged with the Superintendent on multiple occasions. She has also connected with members of Wyoming National Army and Air Guard and forged connections between public education and the military. Additionally, Junge helps lead the Milkens of the West Educator's Empowerment Summit each year in partnership with Milken Educators from Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming.
At the time of the award, Becky Junge constantly sought out innovative teaching strategies to engage her fourth-graders at Journey Elementary School in Casper, Wyoming. Students love her shape-shifting classroom, which Junge periodically transformed into a polling place, escape room, Super Mario game course, circus, Shark Tank set, and campaign headquarters when students run for class mayor. She designed lesson plans incorporating “Among Us,” knowing the popular video game would grab students’ attention as they practiced important skills. Junge was one of the first Journey teachers to implement WyoTowne, a financial literacy program for students across Wyoming. She has become a go-to resource for educators statewide, and Junge’s student mayor was invited to speak and deliver a proclamation at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming WyoTowne breakfast. Junge’s students also learn outside the classroom, through volunteering, UNICEF fund drives and trips to mountain science camp.
In her previous role, Junge served the fourth-grade team leader, diving into student data to help develop strategies that best serve learners’ needs. She led Journey’s math team, sat on the school leadership team, and serves as building assessment facilitator and NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) coordinator. Junge embraces the culture and methodology of project-based learning and shares her expertise freely with colleagues. She will drop everything to help a colleague, especially with technology and strategies for remote instruction during the pandemic.
Community service is a priority for Junge, who comes from a family of special education teachers. She has coached athletes, coordinated events, raised money and recruited volunteers for the Special Olympics. Junge volunteers for Our Camp Inc., a summer camp for individuals with disabilities, and helps put on “Night to Shine,” a prom for special needs youth. She coaches middle school volleyball and is a founding member of Casper’s Rotaract Club, Rotary’s branch for young professionals.
Junge earned a bachelor’s in elementary education in 2012 from the University of Wyoming and a master’s in curriculum and instruction in 2016 from Adams State University.
Press release: In Casper, Wyoming, Rebecca Junge Reimagines the Classroom – and Realizes a $25,000 Milken Educator Award
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