Third Grade Dreamer to UW Tacoma Graduate
Noemi Duncan’s Lifelong Dream of Teaching Becomes Reality
Elementary dreams; adult realities
Noemi Duncan has known since third grade that she wanted to be a teacher. She has the proof too— a childhood yearbook where, beneath her school portrait, the words “a teacher” appear in her own handwriting.
“I always keep that with me,” Duncan says. “It’s so cute — and ever since then, I’ve never wanted to let my younger self down.”
This summer, Duncan will step into her own classroom as a full-time special education teacher — fulfilling the dream that began as a handwritten aspiration. She recently accepted a job offer in the same district where she completed her yearlong student teaching placement through UW Tacoma. The opportunity, she says, is “astonishing.”
Duncan places teaching materials on the board mid-lesson.
Real classrooms, real impact
Unlike many teacher prep programs, UW Tacoma’s bachelor’s in education offers a full-year classroom placement, allowing students to build relationships with teachers, families, and students over time. For Duncan, the experience cemented not just her skills — but her sense of purpose. Duncan transferred to UW Tacoma from Pierce College after receiving a Next Step Scholarship and finding out the education program had been officially launched. “The second they announced it, I was like, I’ve got to speak to the advisor. I need to get into this program,” she says. She planned every step to ensure she’d qualify — reflecting the determination that has carried her through.
"I’m a very patient person with an open heart,” she says. “I believe every child should have the opportunity
to succeed, and they should never be defined by labels that hold them back."
It’s a family thing
The choice was also a family tradition. Duncan is the youngest of four sisters — all UW Tacoma students. Each earned a different degree, but all found a home on the same campus.
“It’s definitely been a family thing,” she says, smiling.
As she prepares to lead her own classroom, Duncan carries with her a lifetime of inspiration, a year of hands-on experience, and the quiet determination of someone who never lost sight of what she was meant to do.
Duncan beams as she holds a sign reading “Invest in the future of education.”
At graduation, Duncan poses with Hendrix the Husky, proudly wearing a vibrant stole decorated with her students’ handprints.
