The SC Council on Competitiveness announces 5 finalists for 2021 SC STEM Educator of the Year

SC Tech, an initiative of the SC Council on Competitiveness, in partnership with S²TEM Centers SC and The Citadel STEM Center, announced today its five finalists for the 2021 STEM Educator of the Year Award. The SC STEM Educator of the Year Award recognizes teachers who are making a significant difference in the lives of students across the state by providing excellent curriculum, encouraging lifelong learning and inspiring a passion for STEM beyond the classroom and into the future. This year’s awards are sponsored by Comporium, Bojangles and the SC Council on Competitiveness.

South Carolina faces two converging challenges for the future of its students and workforce: first, a critical need exists for educators, particularly in STEM studies; and second, the nature of jobs requiring an advanced understanding of STEM content areas and the skills required to tackle complex, technical problems is changing. We not only need more STEM teachers, but they need to prepare students differently. To encourage these changes, the STEM Educator of the Year Award highlights STEM education and provides STEM teachers the platform to share their curriculum, valuable experience, and best practices with parents, employers, and other educators.

Applications this year were submitted by educators across the state, and were judged by a committee of STEM-related industry leaders.

Finalists include:

• Amy Baldwin, 6th to 8th Grade Gateway to Technology Teacher, Oakbrook Middle School, Dorchester District Two, Ladson
• Dr. Nicole Yemothy, PLTW Gateway Teacher, R.H. Gettys Middle School, Pickens County School District, Easley
• Elizabeth Martin, 7th & 8th Grade Science & Math Teacher, Sanders Middle School, Laurens County School District 55, Laurens
• Susan Mathews, Science Teacher, Richland Northeast High School, Richland School District Two, Columbia, and,
• Whitney Camacho, 4th Grade Teacher, McColl Elementary Middle School, Marlboro School District 1, McColl

“This past year presented a whole new set of challenges for our teachers, especially in the traditionally hands-on STEM areas, and we are excited to be able to recognize their important contributions to our state’s overall competitiveness,” says Susie Shannon, President and CEO of the SC Council on Competitiveness.

The 2021 STEM Educator of the Year will be awarded on March 17^th during the STEM Education Day at the Capital, hosted by South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics & Science. The March 17^th event will be live streamed by SC ETV here.

For more information on the SC STEM Educator of the Year, visit the Council website www.scstemeducator.com.