This week, we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month and are excited to take the opportunity to elevate just a few key women who have made big waves in the male-dominated field of STEM. This post features notable scientists that were featured in Byers’ Women in STEM Project. Byers students learned about these key leaders and then presented on them! We still want to hear from you- who are the notable women that have inspired you? Share your shero here!
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Over the past couple months, it’s been so much fun to spotlight and recognize the amazing staff who work in our Center Programs across the network. This week, we’re closing out this series with the awesome staff who work at the Falcon’s Nest of Byers! Get to know Alex Bruce, Mark Hyams, Jason Tidwell, Nate Avis, Evan Constan, and Debbie Jordan.
This week, we’re heading down to Southwest Denver to visit Pride Rock, the Center Program at Henry MS. This team is dedicated to making every day exciting and filled with learning for the Pride members who learn in Center Programs. We’re excited to meet this exemplary team that includes Sophia Leung, Jae Berry, Natalie Thorsland, and Jerry Frangas (who also works at Cole HS!)
Starting out as a student teacher in Metro Nashville Public Schools in 2003, I was trained in college to acquire my secondary ELA licensure and taught both 7th and 9th grades. During that training, I was given resources and strategies for teaching literature; however, during that student teaching experience, I recognized very quickly that many of my students were not equipped with basic reading skills to be able to not only read the texts I wanted to teach, but perhaps could impact them for the rest of their adult lives.
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Women’s History Month celebrates the contributions women have made to our country and recognizes the specific achievements they have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields. In Women’s History Month 2021, the United States has its first woman vice-president, the most diverse presidential cabinet (with the first Indigenous cabinet member, a Dakota woman), and the first transgender person to a Senate-confirmed post. While 2020 was a tough year of layoffs that disproportionately impacted women, it also saw the number of female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies reach a record of 37.
Moving across town to Cole HS, we’re excited to meet the awesome Center Program staff who create a warm and nurturing environment in the Dragon’s Lair. Now is your opportunity to meet this awesome group, that includes both Center Program staff as well as social workers- Megan Schierbeck, Sue Wolf, Amanda Molinar, Riley Peiker, Sarah Goldstein, Audrey Harriger, Kadell Frangas, and Alex Wirth.
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While it may be March, and Black History month has come to a close, (look out for some great Women's History Month resources coming soon!) we continue to celebrate the Black leaders of our community! Last week, we recognized the awesome local figures, past and present, who had a critical impact in film, government, entrepreneurship, and so much more. This week, we’re highlighting Black STEM leaders as well as some additional entrepreneurs and game-changers, both within our own DSST community and across the Denver Metro Area, who are paving the way for the breakthroughs of the future.
DENVER (CBS4)– Students and staff at DSST Cole High School are stepping up to help their peers. They’ve set up a food pantry that distributes close to 100 boxes of food each week to families in need.
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The journey of Black History and the history of minoritized and marginalized groups, individuals and communities cannot be lost as time goes by. The era of greatness and contribution continues. Although some will consider Black History, just that - history, DSST pushes against that ideology and narrative. Instead, we continue to spotlight Black pioneers in the Denver Metro Area, of the past and present, to help our community recognize and value the history within our own backyard. Black history is not relegated to the southern states nor the east coast. Black history’s presence and contribution stretches from “sea to shining sea” and most definitely within the “purple mountain’s majesty”. Here are examples of Black History in the Denver Metro Area showcasing entrepreneurship, STEM, education, sports, politics, arts and entertainment.
