Key Take Away:

I am deeply passionate about Work Based Learning, College Enrichment and Access Programs and believe that no student should need student loans to attend college.

My passion for integrating applied skills and academic curriculum has been driven by my academic background and professional experiences. My journey, thus far, has been extensively shaped by the deep commitment I harbor for education and empowering students with practical skills. I pursued my undergraduate degree in finance and have had work experience as an investment banker and a consultant, both of which have continually honed my analytical skills and strengthened my foundation in data analysis, which I put to use later as a school counselor. In that role, I designed and led the implementation of programming to integrate CTE skills into the academic curriculum, with a focus on project management, coding, and data analysis.

I believe that all students have the right to equitable and accessible education, regardless of their background. My values are committed to social justice, equity, and that practical skills are necessary for student success. The latter defined my work and have guided my passion for integrating CTE skills in academic curricula. I believe in the transformative impact of the access to and efficient organization of information. My desire to further pursue research in Information Science and Learning Technologies is due to the ability of this field of research to overcome structural inequity. To be precise, I am interested in the ways in which the educational outcomes and the success of the students have been and can be improved through the use of data analytics to support and enhance learning teachers, students and parents. It is the significant of this opportunity that motivated interest in graduate study in the School of Information Science and Learning Technologies EdS program, and I greatly wish to continue to this work at the doctoral level.

In my role as a School Counselor I have assisted in the preparation of McKinley CLAs Department of Education Career Z Challenge Grant, resulting in the receipt of $10,000 for technology related Work based Learning. We are in consideration for an additional $150,00 for from the Department of Education. The grant includes a systemic approach starting from a Computer Literacy course in grade 9, progressing through various career exploration activities and internships in higher grades, and involving partnerships with organizations such as Amazon, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and the Danforth Plant Science Center. Measurable outcomes and sustainability efforts are outlined, including metrics for student participation and learning gains, and a fundraising campaign to support the program. The initiative seeks to enhance technological proficiency in order to prepare students for internships and enrichment opportunities and thereby increase post-secondary attainment and persistence. Mastery of essential technological skills is an integral component of exposing students to real-world experiences, preparing them for future careers and promoting educational equity.

I believe continuing to develop my methodological skill sets will assist me my efforts of implementing and evaluating the integration of Data Science, Analytics and Career and Technical Education into the elementary and secondary educational curriculum in Saint Louis Public Schools.