2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS


for African-American students is 12 percent. Hatley confronts this problem head on by using Uplift Inc. to engage students of color in activities that teach STEM concepts. Students experience culturally relevant, innovative and engaging STEM activities. Field trips, internships, competitions and dem- onstrations are just a small example of ways in which Uplift educates the youth. Hatley is also responsible for educational programs that teach students about robotics, programming languages, and how to create iPhone and Android apps. One such program is Robotics in D.C., which serves 35 students at two schools. Teams from both schools competed in the 2010 VA/DC Regional FIRST Lego League Robotics Competition. One team received first place in Robot Design, while the other team won first place in Robot Performance. Hatley has spent more than 15,000 hours teaching youth about technology and engineering. As a certified K-8 teacher, she has taught computer classes to students and teachers. Hatley earned a master’s degree in computer science and a bachelor’s degree in computer systems engineering from Howard University. She received a master’s degree in library science from the University of Maryland. Hatley is working toward a Ph.D. in learning technology from George Mason University.


Valerie Hawkins Project Lead the Way Gateway to Technology Educator-Magnet Coordinator Baltimore County Public Schools


K-12 Promoion o Education V


alerie Hawkins is a coordinator and teacher at the South- west Academy Magnet School of Science and Engineer-


ing. She provides students with access to the program using the Project Lead the Way/Gateway to Technology (PLTW/GTT) method to problem-based curriculum. Educators like Hawkins do vital work in the early years of students’ development, espe- cially encouraging girls to take up subjects that lead to careers in science and engineering. This year for Women’s History Month, Hawkins and Women Instructing and Nurturing Girls in Science (WING) sponsored the first “Cool Women, Hot Jobs” STEM Career Fair. Over 300 girls had the opportunity to meet with women in engineering. Hawkins has also volunteered for Maryland MESA students to Space Camp and Maryland MESA students’ whale watching. She has also taken part in Zero Gravity, an educational program sponsored by Northrop Grumman. She is a member of the Technology and Engineer- ing Educators Association and Society for Women Engineers among others. Hawkins has a Master of Science from Towson University, Teaching Certificate for Grades 1-6 from College of Notre Dame of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in African- American Studies from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Hawkins also inspired her daughter, Tulani, into a STEM profession as an electrical engineer with the Navy. “I am the sixth child born to a family of eight children,” she said. “My father worked two jobs and my mom stayed home to care for us. From a very young age, my parents told us that we would


28 WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013


and simulation (M&S). A teacher from the Tri-Village School District, Puckett has contributed immensely toward devel- oping Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in rural, low-income school districts. Her extraordi- nary way of delivering STEM knowledge through effective M&S has benefited scores of students and helped them establish a successful career. In 2009, Puckett attended the In- terservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Confer- ence (I/ITSEC), the largest training, modeling and simulation conference in the world. This was a groundbreaking confer- ence where Puckett accepted a challenge from Rear Adm. David H. Lewis to translate and apply what she learned in her classroom. Since then, Puckett has worked diligently to enrich STEM education for students at the 2010 I/ITSEC conference, where she was recognized as one of America’s Teachers. For a high school, semester-long M&S course, Puckett has worked as a lead author in her capacity as the Dayton Regional STEM Center’s STEM Fellow. With a goal to motivate students to develop M&S, technical and 3D modeling skills, this course first launched in Puckett’s classroom and is now offered in over 10 schools in Dayton. Through collaboration with GRILL


K www.womenofcolor.net


go to college. They didn’t know how they would pay for it, but they knew we would go. After graduating, for several years I worked as a media assistant in a college. Being in that environ- ment inspired me to advance my knowledge and pursue teach- ing. I am truly blessed that I made that decision.”


Kimberly Puckett Mathematics Instructor Tri-Village Local School District


K-12 Promoion o Education


im Puckett has dedicated her life to developing innova- tive ways to teach students through effective modeling


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