About Us

I am so excited to be on a STEM journey to encourage the youth of today!  As technology marches along, I take seriously the vision to have all young people stay squarely in-tuned, not just as consumers, but competitive producers. Most of us need someone to communicate their belief in us from time to time, and I stand doing that in the programs and services we offer in YoungSTEMs.

I recall as a child taking apart my transistor radio, and propping up the circuit board in a little alcove in the bedroom I shared with my sister.  Although I was fascinated by it, I knew nothing about it. There was not anyone to push my curiosity as my family managed to struggle through difficulties and challenges, and yes, tragedy.

I had planned to train in radiology, but decided to become a teacher instead.  For over 30 years I have held very high expectations for my students and myself, refusing to accept as ‘normal’ the long-standing and stubborn patterns of underachievement of poor and formerly minority children in our public schools.  Today, the challenges of equity are real in a volatile political environment. I am motivated by the basic premise that we all have EQUAL value, and are born with individually unique qualities. These characteristics are often hidden in poverty, inequality, racism, sexism, poor self-image, and other factors affecting the opportunity to become all that we can.  Simply put, I was motivated to start YoungSTEMs to push back on the tide that would maintain the status quo.