Celebrating Women’s History Month – OneWorld Inaugural BLOG
March is Women’s History Month.
OneWorld salutes all of the hard-working, dynamic women who work in every endeavour daily to make our schools, workplaces and community better places for today and the future.
We at OneWorld, Inc celebrated the talents of some of our outstanding women by inviting female teachers of math and science to join us in the CTV studio on Thursday evening, March 19, 2009. Twenty-four women who teach math and science in Hamden, New Haven, Plymouth and West Haven came to celebrate being teachers, talk about their love of teaching and about the importance of inspiring their students. It was one of the most invigorating and enjoyable programs we have ever done. We started these programs in June 1996.
I want to thank several people and to say kudos to many others. Presenting these programs always carries a number of challenges; therefore, getting the help of others is paramount. I am truly grateful to Hamden Supt. Fran Rabinowitz for being 100 percent cooperative and helpful in identifying every woman in her district who teaches math or science, following up with supervisors, and getting the information to me.
Staying with Hamden –I also want to say KUDOS to Nancy Juliano, Science Teacher of the Year, 2008. Nancy teaches 5th Grade Science at Shepherd Glen School. KUDOS also to Linda Livolsi, 6th Grade Science teacher at West Woods School and recipient of 2007 Science Teacher & the Award for CT Science Educator Fellow. Hamden High was well represented as was Hamden Middle.
We had a 22 year old 6th Grade math teacher from Plymouth – Becky Daly. She is facing first year challenges of teaching very squarely and said she enjoyed being with the more experienced teachers.
Thanks to math supervisor, Ken Matthews, and Richard Therrien, science supervisor, the New Haven contingent was out in full force representing Truman, Vincent Mauro, Hillhouse, Career, Wilbur Cross, Cooperative Arts, and the new Engineering & Science University Magnet School. This brand new school with 83 students (20 girls and 63 boys) represents the challenge we face in getting more girls to focus on Math & Science. That was a significant part of the goals of Thursday’s TV program– to say to parents & teachers — please encourage girls to focus steadfastly on Math & Science every bit as much as on English, History and the other “softer” or easier subjects.
The leader of this new Engineering & Science Magnet is Dr. Marjorie Edmonds-Lloyd. This dynamic package of brains holds undergrad degree in Chemistry from Oberlin, a Masters in Chemical Engineering from Howard, and a Doctorate in Women & Technology from UPENN. Hermine Smikle teaches AP-Calculus at Hillhouse; she has 18 girls and 4 boys in her class!!! HIP! HIP! Hooray for that! Let’s hear it for the 18 Pre-Cal girls at Hillhouse. Parents, please encourage your daughters.
With the help of Bailey School principal, Gina Prisco, and West Haven High principal, Richard Stancil, WH also had a contingent of two teachers each from WH High and Bailey school. They teach physics, science and math. This is an energetic group of teachers. Gina Prisco is an exemplary leader. Due to illness teachers who had previously committed was unable to participate. However, this is what we need in education for the 21st Century – dynamic, committed leaders. The future of our communities, our states and our country depend on outstanding and committed leadership; nowhere is this more true than in our classrooms and in our homes: effective teaching and effective parenting.
Enola Aird and Katurah Bryant of OneWorld conducted short one-on-one interviews with the teachers before we went on the air. We will bring you information from those interviews as a semi-documentary program. When CTV is back up to its regular programming we hope to bring you this two-part program. We thank Enola, Katurah & Lisette Bernier-McGowan (who did a lot of behind the scenes work), for making this program possible. I might be in front of the camera, but without these people what you see would not be as good. We welcome the help of more people behind the scenes.
The panel of 24 teachers represented people from very diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds; they all have one thing in common — a passion for teaching. We thank them all. We encourage parents and community leaders to support good teachers; form partnerships with them for the benefit of all of our children; hold all teachers, administrators and our schools accountable for inspiring our children to learn. However, as parents and community leaders we must also do our part 100 percent.
Without the CTV facility and the volunteers who come monthly to help us with our programs, none of this would be possible; we thank NeRonda Langley for joining the team, and we thank Angela, Bob, Don, John, and Leo for their monthly commitment and support. Thursday’s program was particularly challenging as CTV is doing an equipment upgrade and there are many technical changes. We thank the management at CTV for making it possible for us to go on the air Thursday night, and we appreciate the specific support provided by the executive director and the program manager.
Finally, OneWorld is a small volunteer organization; we welcome those who can help us to better serve the larger community. We welcome teachers and other experts who are willing to work with us to educate our children and keep the community informed and engaged. We thank Paul Bass and the NHI for all they do to help us to get the word out on all the topics we cover. Nothing is impossible to willing hearts. Please keep watching “21st Century Conversations” and visit our web site often.
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