SELECT SECTION
2023 Annual Report Banner - New Directions

Advocate Program

The Society named 84 educators from 36 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Mexico to serve in the Advocate Program in the 2022鈥�2023 school year. Advocates spend their one-year terms encouraging at least three to five students to undertake science and engineering research and helping them to enter their projects in competitions. Ninety percent of those students are from low-income households, and 70% are of a race or ethnicity underrepresented in STEM. Advocates have supported more than 5,000 students over the life of the program; of these, over 4,000 have successfully participated in at least one science research competition.

This yearlong professional development program includes an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the Advocate Training Institute in Washington, D.C., and a $3,000 stipend.

The Advocate Program in 2022鈥�2023 was made possible by the Arconic Foundation, Intel Corporation, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, National Geographic Society and Regeneron.

Yari Torres De Jesus, ISEF Advocate highlighted in Science Fair: The Series

FROM THE ADVOCATES

Ramon Benavides

“In the past three years, we have been able to develop an award-winning science fair program at our campus. Our campus went from a six-year science fair hiatus to sending four projects to the Texas Science and Engineering Fair. This success would not have been possible without the help and resources from the Society. We are forever grateful.”

Del Valle High School (El Paso, TX)

Ramon Benavides

Leslie Cannon

“Participation in 缅北禁地 research competitions, to quote one of my students, ‘Lets me get my nerd on.’ This was stated with happiness and pride. For students in underrepresented communities, for students from low socioeconomic status, the ability to compete in a research competition opens them to the possibility of working as professionals in STEM. Having the ability to crowdsource knowledge from peers around the nation is the biggest benefit the Advocate Program is offering to me.”

ATLAS Academy at Tennyson Middle School (Waco, TX)

Headshot of Leslie Cannon

Lalitha Murali

“By participating in the Advocate Program, I have become a leader at my school. Earlier I was working with only gifted students, but now I am able to work with the entire grade level and make an impact on all of our students.”

Glen Hills Middle School (Glendale, WI)

SNHS Teacher Lalitha Murali

SOCIETY BLOG

Helping Hands: A Lead Advocate helps students harness STEM resources

2022鈥�2023 ADVOCATES

Lead Advocates

  • Ramon Benavides,听Del Valle High School听(El Paso, TX)
  • Elizabeth Bieri,听Cristo Rey Jesuit Houston听(Houston, TX)
  • Cameron Cooley,听Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering听(Memphis, TN)
  • Edwina Kinchington,听Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy听(Pittsburgh, PA)
  • Andrea LaRosa,听Westside Middle School Academy听(Danbury, CT)
  • Allyson McFalls,听Blowing Rock Elementary School听(Blowing Rock, NC)
  • Amy Melby,听Yuma High School听(Yuma, CO)
  • Jessica Menchaca,听Del Valle ISD听(Del Valle, TX)
  • Jacqueline Nichols,听Sunnyside Unified School District听(Tucson, AZ)
  • Yajaira Torres-De Jesus,听Colegio Rosa Bell听(Guaynabo, PR)
  • Joshua Truitt,听Clarke County Schools听(Athens, GA)

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Advocates

  • Lance Atkinson,听Eisenhower High School听(Rialto, CA)
  • Aishat Balogun,听Bloomington High School North听(Bloomington, IN)
  • Stephen Beall,听City High School听(Tucson, AZ)
  • Gemma Bognot-Clarke,听Chesapeake Math & IT Public Charter听(Laurel, MD)
  • Humberto Bracho,听Frick United Academy of Language听(Oakland, CA)
  • Mary Brown,听John Marshall School of Engineering听(Cleveland, OH)
  • Denise Caceres,听Philadelphia High School for Girls听(Philadelphia, PA)
  • Christina Campos,听West Oso Junior High听(Corpus Christi, TX)
  • Leslie Cannon,听ATLAS Academy at Tennyson Middle School听(Waco, TX)
  • Renee Cordes,听Flathead High School听(Kalispell, MT)
  • Norma Cullo,听Bronx International High School听(Bronx, NY)
  • Rochelle Darville,听West St. John High School听(Edgard, LA)
  • Alan Daugherty,听Melrose Municipal Schools听(Melrose, NM)
  • Dannielle Davis,听Circle of Excellence Network听(St. Louis, MO)
  • Jessica Doiron,听Freedom High School听(Woodbridge, VA)
  • Michele Drayton,听Richard T. Crane Medical Preparatory High School听(Chicago, IL)
  • Mark Eastburn,听Princeton High School听(Princeton, NJ)
  • Ryne Emerick,听Lebanon High School听(Lebanon, MO)
  • Phebe Priscilla Fuentes,听Homer Hanna Early College High School听(Brownsville, TX)
  • Nancy Gamez,听CECyTE Jalisco听(Tlajomulco de Z煤帽iga, Jalisco, Mexico)
  • Eleonor G贸mez Rebolledo,听Kumut煤 STEAM听(La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico)
  • Jasmin Graham,听Minorities in Shark Sciences听(Bradenton, FL)
  • John Gresham,听Tompkins High School听(Katy, TX)
  • Julia Griffith,听Red Bird Christian School听(Beverly, KY)
  • Marquita Hammock,听Southwest Leadership Academy听(Philadelphia, PA)
  • Naomi Hampson,听YMWIC Foundation, Inc.听(Cheyney, PA)
  • Tahnee Harrell,听Miramar High School听(Miramar, FL)
  • Jennifer Hatch,听Medomak Valley High School听(Waldoboro, ME)
  • Kristina Hellmich,听Two Rivers Middle School Public Charter School听(Washington, DC)
  • Dede Henderson,听South Hamilton CSD听(Jewell, IA)
  • Rebecca Hooper,听Laurel School District听(Laurel, MS)
  • Todd Ireland,听100 Black Men of Douglasville, Inc.听(Douglasville, GA)
  • Sunday Iwalaiye,听Prince George鈥檚 County Public Schools听(Laurel, MD)
  • Ann Jackson,听Miller Middle School听(Marshalltown, IA)
  • Karen Johnson,听Evanston Township High School听(Evanston, IL)
  • Patricia Jolliff,听Richardson PREP HI Middle School听(San Bernadino, CA)
  • Andrea Jydstrup-McKinney, West Career and Technical Academy (Las Vegas, NV)
  • Robert Keeney,听Rio Rancho High School听(Rio Rancho, NM)
  • Nancy Kincaid,听Eastside High School听(Gainesville, FL)
  • Elizabeth King,听Indiana Math and Science Academy West听(Indianapolis, IN)
  • Jeannine Lanphear,听North Brunswick Township Public Schools听(North Brunswick, NJ)
  • Gaurang Limachia,听GoSTEM听(Chicago, IL)
  • Amy Mallozzi,听Oregon State University听(Corvallis, OR)
  • Ben Martin,听St. Clair High School听(St. Clair, MO)
  • Maria Martinez,听Harmony School of Excellence Laredo听(Laredo, TX)
  • Erin Mayer,听Casey Middle School听(Boulder, CO)
  • Joy Mordica,听Equity Research Group, Inc.听(Atlanta, GA)
  • Cynthia Moss,听Los Angeles Academy Middle School听(Los Angeles, CA)
  • Lalitha Murali,听Glen Hills Middle School听(Glendale, WI)
  • Susana Oliu,听John Muir High School Early College Magnet听(Pasadena, CA)
  • Eual Phillips,听Hill-Freedman World Academy听(Philadelphia, PA)
  • Breily Poot Ek, Hunab Proyecto de Vida AC (Nuevo Yucat谩n, M茅rida, Mexico)
  • Tyrikia Porter,听Meridian Public School District听(Meridian, MS)
  • Cecilie Prine,听Lander Middle School听(Lander, WY)
  • Mary-Elizabeth Quan,听Ontario-Montclair School District听(Ontario, CA)
  • Texas Quezada,听Travis Early College High School听(Austin, TX)
  • Liliana Ram铆rez Freire,听Prepatatoria 16, UANL听(San Nicol谩s de los Garza, N.L., Mexico)
  • Alfred Santos,听Harvest Preparatory Academy听(Yuma, AZ)
  • Sharon Sapp,听Tucson High Magnet School听(Tucson, AZ)
  • Alicia Simonti,听Forest Grove Middle School听(Worcester, MA)
  • Heather Sims,听Hobart High School听(Hobart, OK)
  • Melissa Sleeper,听Storm Grove Middle School听(Vero Beach, FL)
  • Bradley Spencer,听Weber School District听(Roy, UT)
  • Brandy Tanner,听Mt. Abram Regional High School听(Salem Township, ME)
  • Andy Thompson,听Acton-Boxborough Regional School District听(Acton, MA)
  • Sergio Torres,听Hot Springs High School听(Truth or Consequences, NM)
  • Andi Twiss,听New Millennium Academy听(Brooklyn Center, MN)
  • Kiara T. Vann,听Stratford STEM Magnet High School听(Nashville, TN)
  • Martha Warren,听Jennings Senior High School听(Dorsey, MO)
  • John Wiley,听Challenge School听(Centennial, CO)
  • Laura Wommack,听Mansfield High School听(Mansfield, WA)
  • Sara Yeh,听Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate听(Eastvale, CA)
  • Jean Yoo,听Almeria Middle School听(Fontana, CA)