The SC Council on Competitiveness Announces 5 Finalists for 2022 SC STEM Educator of the Year
FOR RELEASE
March 10, 2021
SC Tech, an initiative of the SC Council on Competitiveness, in partnership with S²TEM Centers SC and The Citadel STEM Center, announced today its five finalists for the 2022 STEM Educator of the Year Award. The SC STEM Educator of the Year Award recognizes teachers who are making a significant difference in the lives of students across the state by providing excellent curriculum, encouraging lifelong learning and inspiring a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) beyond the classroom and into the future. This year’s awards are sponsored by Comporium, Bojangles and the SC Council on Competitiveness.
South Carolina faces two converging challenges for the future of its students and workforce: first, a critical need exists for educators, particularly in STEM studies; and second, the nature of jobs requiring an advanced understanding of STEM content areas and the skills required to tackle complex, technical problems is changing. We not only need more STEM teachers, but they need to prepare students differently. To encourage these changes, the STEM Educator of the Year Award highlights STEM education and provides STEM teachers the platform to share their curriculum, valuable experience, and best practices with parents, employers, and other educators.
Applications this year were submitted by educators across the state, and were judged by a committee of STEM-related industry leaders.
Finalists include:
- Kirstin Bullington, Next Energy Engineering Instructor, Richland Two Institute of Innovation (R2i2), Richland Two School District
- Annie Johnson, Clean Energy Technology, Honors Marine Science, & AP Environmental Science, Academy for the Arts, Science, & Technology, Horry County Schools
- Dr. Marsha Neal, 6th-grade Math and Science Teacher, Deer Park Middle School, Charleston County School District
- Dr. Nicole Yemothy, PLTW Gateway Teacher, R. H. Gettys Middle School, Pickens County School District
- Ashley Blackwelder, STEAM Coordinator, Spartanburg 6 School District
“It is so encouraging to see not just the caliber of applicants, but the excitement that each of them bring to their respective classrooms,” says Susie Shannon, President and CEO of the SC Council on Competitiveness. “With this award, we are excited to be able to recognize their important contributions to our state’s overall competitiveness.”
The 2022 STEM Educator of the Year will be awarded on March 17th during the STEM Education Day at the Capitol, hosted by South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics & Science.
For more information on the SC STEM Educator of the Year, visit the Council website www.scstemeducator.com.
Media Contact:
Adrianne Beasley, Director of Strategy & Communications
SC Council on Competitiveness
abeasley@sccompetes.org
(803) 760-1408