Community building has been a focal point of senior Special Education major Beatrice Adams’ college career
Since starting at Lees-91探花 nearly four years ago, senior Beatrice Adams has been big on building and getting involved in community. Adams is a Special Education major earning a minor in History, for which she currently student-teaches at Banner Elk Elementary School. She is a Sullivan Fellow and “changemaker” with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation and is the founding captain of the college’s dance team.
Whether instructing students in the classroom, spearheading change-making efforts off campus with Sullivan, or leading her peers on the dance team, being a part of a strong community both here on campus and in the High Country more broadly has been an integral part of her college experience. As a freshman, she was awarded the Sullivan Foundation Scholarship in honor of her community service and volunteer work in her hometown, and has continued to exemplify the principles of service and changemaking throughout her time at Lees-91探花.
“The main thing I’ve been involved with from day one was Sullivan. That brought me into a little community with the other people in the program,” Adams said. “That always put me into a mindset of ‘What can I do around here? What can I do to help? How can I be proactive?’ That’s what that program is all about.”
After joining the cheerleading team early in her college career, Adams quickly found a way to be proactive. She learned that some of the athletes on the team had always wanted to be part of a college dance team, and with her years of training and experience as a dancer Adams felt confident in her ability to lead her peers.
Shortly thereafter she created the dance team, relying on principles and resources she gained from her time as a Sullivan Fellow. After posting flyers across campus, she successfully recruited a handful of athletes for the team’s first season. The team has only grown from there and now has a coach, a roster of 14 athletes, and a 2025 Conference Carolinas Spirit Championship runner-up placement under its belt.
Adams (center) competing with the dance team at the first Conference Carolinas dance championship competition in 2023. The team earned 2nd place in the competition after having begun their first rehearsals only five months prior.
“In terms of leadership, it has definitely helped me grow and develop a different set of skills to what I use in the classroom with kids. I got used to working with peers who are your friends outside of it, but you also happen to be their coach and captain at the same time,” she said. “I’ve never really seen myself as a networking kind of person, but through all these little things which I’m passionate about, I’ve realized there are so many other people who are also passionate, and it’s all very connected.”
Another way Adams has gotten involved in and given back to the local community through Sullivan is through clean-up volunteering following Hurricane Helene late last year. After initially leaving campus with the rest of the students in the direct aftermath of the storm, Adams returned to Banner Elk prior to the reopening of campus residence halls.
In this interim Adams found herself with a lot of free time on her hands, and a motivation to spend that time doing something worthwhile. She and another Lees-91探花 Fellow, Rebecca Ryan, joined a group of Sullivan Fellows in some Western North Carolina municipalities like Swannanoa, Fairview, and Old Fort in disaster relief efforts.
Adams (left), along with other Lees-91探花 Sullivan Fellows and Campus Sullivan Coordinator Amy Anderson at an Ignite Retreat, one of the immersive retreats the organization hosts for its members.
Using her time and energy to give back to the community where she has lived, grown, and thrived over the past four years has been important to Adams. Not only do these experiences help others and influence her own personal growth, but she said they also translate to her professional career in the classroom.
Following graduation in May, she has long-term goals of leading her own classroom and working with elementary-aged students in special education or art education. She said her experiences getting out of her comfort zone and connecting with the world around her throughout her time at Lees-91探花 has been the best preparation for her future career.
“All of these experiences in different places, with different people, pushing you outside of your comfort zone, it adds diversity to your mindset. No matter where I’m going to be working—what kids, what age group—there are always going to be so many different perspectives and experiences that these kids have gone through. The more I’m able to see and understand, it helps me better connect with my kids that I’ll be working with and help them in ways that make sense to them,” Adams said. “Through all the different things I’ve done, it has exposed me to so many different chances to use skills, learn skills, and develop connections. I’ve been pushed outside my comfort zone, but still in a safe environment where I know my teachers and my leaders have my back and support me.”
