Five teachers from New Haven Public Schools have been named Yale National Fellows for 2026 by the Yale National Initiative, which promotes the establishment of new Teachers Institutes based on the model developed by the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute since 1978.
Nancy Bonilla, Roberto Clemente Leadership Academy
Carol Boynton, Edgewood Creative Thinking Through STEAM
Jamie Mendillo, Nathan Hale School
Kasalina Nabakooza, Truman School
Stephanie Smelser, Sound School
The Fellows will participate in one of the initiative’s national seminars led by Yale faculty and create a curriculum unit based on their own research to teach in their classroom. After attending a two-day orientation session at Yale University in May, they will return for a two-week intensive session in July where their seminars meet daily and they conduct research in the Yale libraries. In November, they will return for the initiative’s annual conference, which celebrates the Fellows for completing the program.
By participating in the Yale National Initiative, teachers increase their content knowledge in the subjects they teach, create curricula for their students aligned to district standards, and renew their enthusiasm for teaching. Upon completing the program, each Fellow receives a stipend and has their curriculum unit published on the website: teachers.yale.edu