A Decade of Dedication: Society for Science Announces 100 Educators in the 10th Year of the Advocate Program with $326,000 in Support

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Society for Science (the Society), a nationally recognized leader in STEM education, is announcing the selection of 100 extraordinary educators for the Advocate Program for the 2024-2025 school year. Now in its 10th year, this program offers training, stipends, and year-round support to STEM educators and mentors helping students from traditionally underrepresented races/ethnicities and low-income households to enter STEM research fairs and competitions. The Society is awarding a total of $326,000 in funding. The Advocate Program aims to expand access and opportunity across science and technology for students, acknowledging the critical role educators and mentors play in developing research skills necessary for future scientists and engineers and science-minded citizens. This year, as teachers navigate the evolving landscape of AI and other new technologies in the classroom, their guidance remains essential for students who will become trailblazers in diverse and emerging fields, from addressing global challenges in climate science to pioneering innovations in biotechnology.

Educators not only assist with the logistical challenges of entering STEM research competitions, including selecting competitions to enter, gathering appropriate materials, and meeting deadlines, but also Advocates often guide students in pinpointing and selecting research topics and carrying out projects.

Award recipients this year come from 38 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands. This is also the first year there are two educators from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Twenty-nine are middle school teachers, 56 are high school teachers, two are affiliated with universities while six work in nonprofit settings. This year's Advocates are reaching students from a myriad of geographic areas as well, with 91 in public schools, 1 in a private school, and 1 in a tribal school—spanning urban, rural and suburban communities.

This year, 87 Advocates will each receive a $3,000 stipend, while 13 Lead Advocates will each receive $5,000 and oversee a group of educators in the program. Lead Advocates have the same goals and framework for the year as the regular Advocates, with the added responsibility of organizing and hosting cohort calls, where they mentor and discuss challenges and opportunities. The program operates in one-year cycles where Advocates work to increase the number of students they guide through the research and competition processes. All Advocates aim to add a minimum of three–five additional students each cycle, depending on their individual goals and experience level.

"As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Advocate Program, it's inspiring to reflect on how far we've come—from just 9 teachers in our inaugural year to 100 passionate educators annually. These educators are empowering students to explore, innovate and enter science competitions. Their commitment is a testament to the transformative power of education, and we are thrilled to see the continued growth and impact of these programs," said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News.

Over the decade, 398 teachers from 47 states and the District of Columbia have participated in the program. Advocates report that the program has significantly enhanced their knowledge and capacity to support students in research and competition. Additionally, survey data indicates that students who participated in the program experience increased content knowledge, self-confidence, and skill-building related to STEM.

To date, Advocates have supported more than 7,000 students during their participation in the program, of which, 5,200 students have successfully competed in at least one science research competition. During the 2023-2024 cycle, 68% percent of student mentees participated in science competitions at the local and/or national level. Overall, students of Advocates are responsible for over 9,200 unique competition entries, with many students entering more than one competition. Ninety percent of those students are from low-income households and 75% are of a race or ethnicity underrepresented in STEM.

In June, this year's class of educators gathered at the annual Advocate Training Institute in the nation's capital where Lead Advocates met with their cohorts for the first time to converse on critical topics ranging from effectively engaging underrepresented populations in STEM research to empowering students to see themselves as scientists. New Advocates also began planning their initiatives for the coming school year under the mentorship and direction of Lead Advocates.

This year's Advocate Program is made possible by Arconic Foundation, Battelle, the Central Intelligence Agency, Intel Corporation and Regeneron. 

The following are 2024-2025 Lead Advocates, who will oversee groups of Advocates.

2024 – 2025 Lead Advocates: 

Stephen Beall, City High School (Tucson, AZ)
Christina Campos, West Oso Junior High (Corpus Christi, TX)
Rochelle Darville, West St. John High School (Edgard, LA)
Chance Duncan, Russellville High School (Russellville, AR)
Susie Fisher, Tongue River Middle School (Ranchester, WY)
Dede Henderson, South Hamilton Middle and High School (Jewell, IA)
Kaleena Jedinak, Tybee Island Maritime Academy (Tybee Island, GA)
Ben Martin, McCluer High School (Florissant, MO)
Maria Martinez, Harmony School of Excellence Laredo (Laredo, TX)
Joy Mordica, Equity Research Group Inc (Brookhaven, GA)
Eual Phillips, Spring-Ford Area High School (Royersford, PA)
Jennifer Stover, Lufkin High School (Lufkin, TX)
Paul Timm, Lyons-Decatur Public Schools, (Lyons, NE) 

2024 – 2025 Advocates: 

Rachel Acuna, Alta Vista Early College High School (Anthony, NM)
Jakara Bachua, STEM NOLA (New Orleans, LA)
Carmen Bird, Alfredo Andrews Elementary School (Kingshill, VI)
Ronald Brillantes, Porcupine School (Porcupine, SD)
Aja Brown, The Metropolitan Soundview High School (Bronx, NY)
Karen Bruening, Pensacola High School (Pensacola, FL)
Glen Bybee, Los Angeles Academy Middle School (Los Angeles, CA)
Christina Campos, Antonio E. Garcia Center (Corpus Christi, TX)
Janirette Chaves Rodriguez, River Springs Middle (Orange City, FL)
Tanya Chiarella, Billerica Public School (Billerica, MA)
Jacob Contreras, Tornillo High School (Tornillo, TX)
Patrice Cooley, Indiana Math and Science Academy North (Indianapolis, IN)
Ann Cowan, Hiram High School (Hiram, GA)
Keishla Crespo, Escuela con Causa Rosalina C. Martinez (Guaynabo, PR)
Jane Cunningham, Cass Technical High School (Detroit, MI)
Susan Curtis Flores, Truman Middle (Fontana, CA)
Lakshmi Darbha, Aavanee.org (Clarksburg, MD)
Geizi Dejka, San Juan College High School (Farmington, NM)
Harry Dittrich, Pathway School of Discovery (Dayton, OH)
Marifi Doculan, Marianas High School (Saipan, MP)
Susan Dougherty, Stamford High School (Greenwich, CT)
Roger Dowdney, Thomson-McDuffie Middle School (Thomson, GA)
Colleen Duda, Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics (Bronx, NY)
Velicia Everett, Sampson Middle School (Clinton, NC)
Terica Gagophien, Vicksburg High School (Vicksburg, MS) 
Shauna Garbe, Barratt Elementary School (American Fork, UT)
Genevieve Garcia, Kotlik School (Kotlik, AK)
Jennifer Gentry, Ph.D., Critical Reasoning Science Partners (Nashville, TN)
Sondra Harris, Indiana Math and Science Academy West (Indianapolis, IN)
Sam Hartpence, Pathfinder High School (Lander, WY)
Jennifer Hatch, Medomak Valley High School (Waldoboro, ME)
Brigette Hernandez, Woonsocket High School (Woonsocket, RI)
Rebecca Hiatt, Baylor College of Medicine Biotech Academy at Rusk (Houston, TX)
Matt Hinchley, Liberty Bell Junior-Senior High School (Winthrop, WA)
Tracyee Hogans Foster, Dogwood Middle School (Richmond, VA)
Stacie Hopple, New Lexington Middle School (New Lexington, OH)
Sunitha Howard, Lincoln High School (Yonkers, NY)
Rania Ibrahim, Dana Middle School (Arcadia, CA)
Oktay Ince, Horizon Science Academy Columbus High School (Columbus, OH)
Jasmine Jones, Skyline High School (Dallas, TX)
Carol Jones, Pine Ridge Middle School (West Columbia, SC)
Pamela Joslyn, Susan Clark Junior High (Muscatine, IA)
Abraham Kamara, Memorial Middle School (Owasso, OK)
Michele Karnbach, Woodbridge High School (Woodbridge, VA)
Sarah Kim, Magnolia Science Academy 6 (Los Angeles, CA)
Olivia Kuper, North Greene High School (Greeneville, TN)
Valerie Ledford, Columbia High School (Lake City, FL)
Brianne Loya, Bioscience High School (Phoenix, AZ)
Jeniffer Madrid, Rice Intermediate School (San Carlos, AZ)
Abigail Marshall, Browning High School (Browning, MT)
Demvia Maslian, New Mexico Military Institute (Roswell, NM)
Justice Mason, Little Rock Southwest High School (Little Rock, AR)
Kristi Mathiesen, Monte Vista Middle School (Monte Vista, CO)
Sumitra Miriyala, AT Still University (Kirksville, MO)
Shawn Mithell, DuVal High School (Lanham, MD)
Pamela Nagafugi, University of Colorado (Denver, CO)
Sam Northey, SPPS Online High School (St. Paul, MN)
Stephen Nye, Julia Landon College Preparatory and Leadership Development Academy (Jacksonville, FL)
Wayne Oelfke, Ft. White High School (High Springs, FL)
Sharon Okoye, Albemarle Road Middle School (Charlotte, NC)
Tara Olenja, Hughes Academy of Science & Technology (Greenville, SC)
Alfred Olivas, INSIGHTS Science Discovery (El Paso, TX)
Sellah Owiti, Colleton County High School (Waterboro, SC)
Suneetha Panda, Northeast High School (Macon, GA)
Brenda Perez-Goodrum, New Liberty Innovation High School Salem (Salem, MA)
Garrick Purdie, Duplin Early College High School (Kenansville, NC)
Liliana Ramos, Ronald Reagan / Doral Senior High School (Doral, FL)
Jacquelyn Rondhuis, Parkrose High School (Portland, OR)
Laura Rosado, Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola (San Juan, PR)
Christine Sanfratello, Lindenhurst Senior High School (Lindenhurst, NY)
Zulaika Shamshieva, Tallahassee School of Math and Science (Tallahassee, FL)
Latasha Sheffield, Athol High School (Athol, MA)
Katie Southard, Salem High School (Salem, AR)
Quinton Spikener, XyayX the Movement (Brooklyn, NY)
Jason Cyril Tajores, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School (St. Thomas, VI)
Mashika Tempero Culliver, RB Hudson STEM Academy (Selma, AL)   
Kaneka Threatt, Lowndes County Career Tech Center (Hayneville, AL)
Julie Throne, Cedar Shoals High School (Athens, GA)
Romalyn Ubaldo, Santa Rosa High School (Santa Rosa, NM)
Carol Unterreiner, Milwee Middle School (Longwood, FL)
Lizbeth Valera, San Luis Middle School (San Luis, AZ)
Jeanettra Watkins, Homewood Flossmoor High School (Flossmoor, IL)
Aisha Weaver, Johnnie Colemon Academy (Chicago, IL)
Candice White, Turning Point Secondary School (Arlington, TX)
Yolanda Whitted, Girls Global Academy (Washington, DC)
Jill Wood, Independence High School (Coal City, WV)
Heather Wygant, Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz, CA) 

Learn more about this year's Advocates here: https://www.societyforscience.org/outreach-and-equity/advocate-program/meet/2024-25/

About Society for Science

Society for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).

Media Contact: Aparna K. Paul (she/her)
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Society for Science
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