The Great American Teach In introduces local classrooms to higher education and new career opportunities. ORACLE GRAPHIC/AMARIS BAEZ

For Katherine Evans, director of corporate partnerships at the University of South Florida, the Great American Teach In classroom can become a place where a kindergartner imagines becoming a dinosaur when they grow up, while another student dreams about curing cancer.

Evans has participated in the Great American Teach In, an annual event that brings USF faculty and staff into local K-12 classrooms to share their professional experiences, for about four years. 

She visits local K-12 classrooms to talk about her career, college and the possibilities that come with higher education. 

“I think that’s the power of higher education,” Evans said. “Your education can never be taken away, and it can open infinite doors to opportunities for everyone.”

USF Youth Experiences has coordinated the university’s participation for four years, according to Caryn Preston, assistant director of USF Youth Experiences. 

Last year, about 250 USF faculty, staff, and students participated, Preston said. This year, Youth Experiences has received about 250 requests from schools for speakers while 47 people have registered to volunteer at the time of her interview.  

After registration, Youth Experiences matches volunteers with schools based on their area of expertise, the grade level they want to work with and their availability. 

The teach in itself will take place on Nov. 18 in Pasco and Pinellas counties, and Nov. 19 in Hillsborough county according to the program’s webpage.

The visit will look different depending on the volunteer. USF employees talk about their research or their work at the university. Others discuss college applications, financial aid, admission or other career paths. 

“Kids really just want to hear your story,” Preston said.

Related: USF alumnus Chad Mallo returns to campus as summer camp leader 25 years post-graduation 

Students can discover careers they had never considered simply by hearing someone explain what they do in their local community. 

“You’re just giving them a whole new outlook on life,” Preston said. “USF has become really, really world renowned in a lot of different areas, and I think our local kids need to think about how cool USF is.”

For Evans, talking about career possibilities is one of the most important parts of her classroom visits. 

Her own career path has changed several times. She started college wanting to become a doctor before moving into public relations. She later worked at a news station before moving into finance. 

“I tell them it might change,” Evans said. “I like to remind all students about that, and just really, again, getting that spark going”

Some students may believe they cannot attend college because they do not have enough money or because no one in their family has gone to college, however, Evans tells students that there are people who want to support their education through scholarships and philanthropy.

“They don’t even know you, and they want to support you,” Evans said.

Preston said that the program also gives volunteers the opportunity to share experiences that students might not encounter or expect. 

“[Kids] just want to know, like what are you doing? Like how did you get there? What does your life path look like?” Preston said.

For Evans, seeing students realize that others believe in their future is one of the most meaningful parts of participating.

“I think anytime someone can tell you there are people out there that care about you, they want you to be successful, and they want you to be happy, and they want you to thrive without even knowing you, and they believe in you,’’ Evans said. “I think when you can share that message with kids, it makes a big impact.”

Evans continues to participate because she believes even one classroom conversation can affect a student’s future.

“If you can share that message with one kid that may have thought ‘I’m not worth anything or I’m not going to do anything’, and they decide to go to college,” Evans said. “And that one kid figures out how to cure cancer or get people living on Mars, that’s pretty cool.”