Hudson's Jennifer Mason Recognized as MiSTEM Region 2 Educator of the Year

The award recognizes a consistent record of outstanding teaching and related activities in STEM fields, with a focus on:

• Promoting active learning and imaginative, critical, and independent thinking; 
• Developing a love of learning and appreciation for the relationship between STEM-based content and society; 
• Building resilience and helping students learn the advantages of “failing forward;” 
• Using design process thinking and STEM-based learning experiences; 
• Engaging with learners beyond the classroom and creating opportunities to address the individual needs of all learners; 
• Using teaching techniques that are appropriate and effective with a wide variety of learning styles.

Mason is an inspirational and dedicated teacher who actively promotes science and STEM careers for her students. Her nomination highlighted how her love of teaching is passed along to her kids in all her engineering and robotics courses. She develops creative projects for kids using 3-D printers and Solid Works (3D-CAD design software). She hosts robotics competitions for others schools and shares her expertise as a master teacher, leading summer Project Lead The Way (PLTW) professional learning opportunities for other teachers. She has created unique opportunities to explore STEM careers by having her students participate with “Skype a Scientist,” where her students are able to Zoom with professionals working in a variety of STEM fields. Her students explore how curiosity, and the engineering design process, can connect to many different fields.

The Hudson Area Schools educator believes that STEM is an integral part of daily life, not a just class with a start and stop time. “STEM is all around, from the kids on the playground trying to figure out how to jump the highest off the swing to the grandparents trying to video chat. I am blessed to work in a school system that already recognizes the importance of STEM and have created a program that promotes STEM projects and activities,” shared Mason. Recognizing how engaging in high quality STEM experience can impact students, she has helped to introduced STEM to district elementary school students by inviting them to be a part of programs and events at the SMCSI.

The MiSTEM Region 2 Educator of the Year Award includes a $1,000 grant to help increase Mason’s impact around STEM education in her classroom and school. When asked how she would use this grant to support STEM education in her school, she spoke about her plans to use the grant to help develop a drone program. Mason said that “drones are becoming an important part of many different types of industries including agriculture, surveying, inventory, and construction. I anticipate that by the time my students graduate from high school, drones will be much more common in many areas of our society.”

In addition to receiving the $1,000 grant, Mason will be recognized at the MiSTEM Recognition Ceremony on March 3, 2022.

MiSTEM Region 2 comprises six counties from southeast/south central Michigan, including: Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe, and Washtenaw Counties. Their work aims to unites education, business, and community partners across the state by creating pathways for all students to consider and pursue high-wage, high-demand careers. Our mission is to be the catalyst for equitable access and engagement in authentic STEM experiences in every community in Michigan. This is the third year that the MiSTEM Region 2 STEM Educator of the Year and STEM Integration Educator of the Year awards have been given out. Nominations will be accepted for the 2022-23 awards beginning this fall.