North Gwinnett News

Dr. Kimberly West, a science teacher at McConnell Middle School, has embarked on a mission to introduce the innovation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to Ghana following her visit in 2022. After being inspired by the enthusiasm of students and teachers there, she established a non-profit organization called Teach STEM Africa upon her return. The organization aims to provide educators with quality training and equip students with essential resources for their success.

"One of the things that I love about teaching science is that it is innovative and has the power to transform students’ thinking by exposing them to new ideas about the world around them," Dr. West explains. "STEM encourages critical thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving skills that are vital to students in all phases of their academic journey and postsecondary life."

Dr. West brings eight years of experience working with Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS), where she has been involved in mentoring student-teaching residents through GCPS' Human Resource Department’s Student Teaching Resident Program. This program collaborates with local colleges and universities to offer practical teaching experiences. Rebecca Carlisle, GCPS Assistant Director of Recruitment and Retention, describes Dr. West as "encouraging, inspirational, and generous."

"She welcomed her resident with open arms, even meeting with the student over the summer to make sure the resident felt welcomed and understood that this was their classroom, not just Dr. West’s classroom," Carlisle states. "Though Dr. West has only been at McConnell Middle for a short time, she has clearly made a tremendous impression, to be known not only as an effective classroom teacher but also as someone people look to for guidance," Carlisle adds.

In Ghana, Dr. West contributed by training 60 teachers during their professional development sessions through her non-profit initiative. Teach STEM Africa recruits U.S.-based educators who travel to Ghana to conduct interactive sessions covering topics such as new science standards, elementary math and science activities, aerospace engineering, and teacher mental health.

Looking ahead, Teach STEM Africa plans further expansion as Dr. West recruits another cohort of educators for 2025 while increasing classroom visits and training sessions.