Vanessa is Vice President of Programs at Project Lead The Way.
I joined Project Lead The Way’s Programs Team four years ago from a career as a STEM teacher at Santa Rosa Academy outside San Diego in Menifee, California. Teaching in this K-12 environment, I experienced how naturally curious and excited about learning young students can be. They are little scientists and engineers, wanting to know about the world around them. The problem is that, too often, we allow students to lose this natural curiosity during their K-12 education. That’s one of the reasons I joined Project Lead The Way, to help make a difference not only for students at Santa Rosa Academy, but for students all across the United States. Instilling in our children a love for math and science is something we can all actively take part in – whether we’re educators, parents, family members, or STEM professionals.
Hackbright Academy, the leading engineering school for women with a mission to increase female representation in tech through education, mentorship, and community, recently contacted me for help with an article on inspiring young students to love math and science. I was thrilled to share all of my thoughts and latest research findings. The resulting piece offers great insights for parents and educators on keeping students’ natural curiosity alive and growing, both at home and in the classroom.
Read the article here.