Presenters: Heather Carias and Andrea Robertson-Nottingham
Wheaton High School in Maryland graduates more than 100 students annually who have completed a STEM program at its Bioscience Academy, Engineering Academy, or Academy of Information Technology. In this session, the presenters will focus on the work done in the past decade to build these programs and serve students from a diverse suburban high school where the majority of students qualify for free and reduced meals.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:
Heather Carias, Academy and Application Programs Coordinator, Wheaton High School, Maryland
Heather Carias’ role as academy and application programs coordinator at Wheaton High School (WHS) includes recruiting students, providing leadership support to academy leaders, creating partnerships with institutions to extend learning beyond the classroom, and bridging high school to college through a concurrent enrollment program. WHS is a diverse suburban school where the majority of students qualify for free and reduced meals. Carias is the recipient of the 2009 CTE Teacher of the Year Award for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and the National Board Certification in Science. She has presented at several national conferences including the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), National Association of Secondary School Principals, and Project Lead The Way Symposia. Through collaboration with the MCPS Central Office and the Maryland State Department of Education, Carias provided school-based leadership for piloting each of the four Project Lead The Way Biomedical courses. In the first year of the pilot (2007), the Bioscience Academy served 48 students. Today, this program serves almost 300 students each year and has graduated more than 120. Carias received her BS from the University of Western Ontario, her MEd from the George Washington University, and her master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Hood College.
Andrea Robertson-Nottingham, Team Leader for the Academies of Engineering and Information Technology, Wheaton High School, Maryland
Andrea Robertson-Nottingham is the team leader for the Academies of Engineering and Information Technology at Wheaton High School (WHS) in Montgomery County, Maryland. WHS is part of a consortium of five schools where students choose a high school based on their interest in a career pathway. In her 22nd year of teaching, she teaches digital electronics and aerospace engineering using the Project Lead the Way curriculum. In addition to teaching classes, Robertson-Nottingham is responsible for recruiting, retaining, and matriculating students who are interested in careers in engineering or IT. She is also the sponsor of WHS’ National Society of Black Engineers Jr. chapter. She is a National Board Certified teacher in career and technical education and has State of Maryland certifications in both secondary mathematics and technology education. Robertson-Nottingham received her bachelor’s in Math, Computer Science, and Math Education, and her master’s in Technology Systems Management from Stony Brook University.
