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World View introduces North Carolina educators to Ecuador

Educators from across the state took part in an immersive study visit organized by World View, a public service program at Carolina.

Antonio Wilkins, principal of Magnolia Elementary in Lumberton, North Carolina, has deep roots in Robeson County.

He grew up in nearby Pembroke, a town of around 3,000 and seat of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, of which he is a member, and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Wilkins is from a family of educators, and he is devoted to his extended family and the larger community. Before working at Magnolia Elementary, he served as principal at his alma mater, Purnell Swett High.

“That was a big deal for me, because it put me in a place to give back to folks who had invested in me,” he explained.

Last year Wilkins’ dedication was recognized when he was named the 2014-15 Principal of the Year by the Public Schools of Robeson County. Along with the honor, he was awarded a chance to trade, for a few weeks, the sandhills and swamps of Robeson for the islands and highlands of Ecuador.

The trip was not a vacation, though — Wilkins was joined by educators from across the state for an immersive study visit organized by World View, a public service program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

World View equips K-12 and community college educators with global knowledge, best practices and resources to prepare students to live in an interconnected and diverse world. Every summer, World View takes educators to locations across the globe for intensive engagement with a range of cultures, environments and education systems. World View’s Ecuador trip introduced Wilkins’ group to educators working in urban and rural classrooms on the mainland the islands, as well as the rich natural heritage of the Galápagos.

“I was a little nervous about the trip,” said Wilkins, who had never previously traveled outside of the United States. “But I am so glad I decided to go.”

Read more about the World View group’s experiences on the UNC Global website.