Out of the Box, Into the World: Jaina’s Journey Through Eagle Rock’s Fellowship

At Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center, we’re continually inspired by the educators who join our community with open hearts, bold ideas, and a willingness to grow. Our Alternative Licensure Program and Teaching Fellowship exists for those who want to challenge the mainstream pathways of education; people who see teaching not just as a career, but as a calling to connect, to innovate, and to reimagine what learning can be.

One of those educators is Jaina Cox, a world traveler, creative spirit, and lifelong learner whose journey with us began in 2021.

Finding a New Way to Teach and Learn

Fresh out of college with a degree in elementary education from Ball State University, Jaina was ready to expand her understanding of what education could look like. Born and raised in Indiana, she’d spent her life in familiar spaces–until she saw Eagle Rock’s fellowship posting.

She packed her bags and headed to Estes Park, Colorado, ready for her first big move away from home. When she arrived, she found a place that was both challenging and comforting: a tight-knit community where fellows, students, and staff lived and learned side by side.

As an English Language Arts Fellow, Jaina quickly became known for her energy and creativity on campus. Students often mistook her for the art fellow because of her bright, colorful presence. But her passion was language, storytelling, and the power of words. She loved reading, writing, and helping students make sense of their own experiences through reflection and discussion.

Each trimester brought new opportunities for growth. She worked with seasoned Eagle Rock staff, before designing her own course for the final trimester: a class she called The Game of Life. True to her love of games and interactive learning, Jaina used play as a framework for teaching practical life skills. Students explored job applications, taxes, parenting, unions, and even court systems, blending creativity with critical thinking.

One highlight? A Pi Day celebration that ended with a student pieing Jaina in the face–an act of silliness and trust that solidified the sense of connection in her classroom. “That’s what learning should feel like,” she said. “Fun, engaging, and real.”

Forging Bravely Ahead

Eagle Rock shaped not just Jaina’s teaching practice, but her sense of self. Living and working in such an intentional community taught her how to build relationships, hold space for reflection, and lead with empathy. The experience also helped her recognize that community isn’t tied to one place–it’s something she can create wherever she goes.

After completing her fellowship, Jaina took that mindset abroad. She moved to Kuwait, where she taught fourth grade for two years at the American Creativity Academy. The transition from a mountain valley in Colorado to a city halfway across the world was enormous, but Jaina carried with her the tools Eagle Rock had given her: adaptability, reflection, and courage.

She then continued her education at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a master’s degree in Educational Entrepreneurship.  Now back in Indiana, she’s dreaming up what’s next: a venture that will spark change and bring new ideas to life.

Through each chapter, the lessons of Eagle Rock have remained central: that teaching is about listening deeply, that education can and should reflect the real world, and that courage grows through community.

What Makes the Fellowship and Licensure Program Unique

For educators like Jaina, the Eagle Rock Alternative Licensure Program and Teaching Fellowship offers a rare opportunity: a year of immersive experience in a residential high school where innovation is not only encouraged but expected. Fellows live on campus, teach alongside seasoned instructors, and participate in intensive professional development designed to prepare them for meaningful, student-centered careers.

What sets this program apart is its balance of structure and freedom:

• Collaborative Mentorship: Fellows co-teach with master educators who model reflective practices and give fellows room to experiment
• Comprehensive Training: Weekly seminars, peer feedback sessions, and leadership opportunities build confidence and competence in the classroom
• Pathways to Licensure: Participants can earn their Colorado teaching license through a process that’s both rigorous and deeply supportive, without the burden of traditional graduate school debt
• Intentional Community: Fellows live and learn together, forming lifelong friendships and networks of educators committed to equity and transformation

For many like Jaina, it’s a year that changes everything–not just how they teach, but how they see the world.

Step Into Your Own Story

At Eagle Rock, we know that transformative education starts with courageous educators. Our Alternative Licensure Program and Teaching Fellowship is designed for those who are ready to question, create, and grow–for those who believe that learning should be alive, purposeful, and rooted in community.

If you’re an emerging educator looking to make a difference, we invite you to learn more about joining us. Reach out, ask questions, and imagine what a year at Eagle Rock could unlock for you.

Because like Jaina, you might find that stepping outside your comfort zone is exactly where your story begins.