alliantgroup is excited to announce Deirdre Ricketts, a nationally recognized elementary school STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) teacher, is now part of our Strategic Advisory Board!
We first met Ms. Ricketts in 2019 while she was one of six Houston Independent School District (HISD) science teachers nominated for the alliantgroup-HISD Elementary Science Teacher Award. This award was created to reward local teachers who, through innovative lesson plans that emphasize both the importance and fun aspects of science, are increasing student achievement and engagement.
Our relationship with Ms. Ricketts grew deeper once she became the 2019 alliantgroup-HISD Elementary Science Teacher Award Winner! Her love and passion for teaching science and the innovative ways to teach the curriculum to elementary students is what really makes her shine bright.
We spoke to Ms. Ricketts a year after receiving her award:
Deirdre Ricketts has been teaching for over twenty years and she is currently the lead science teacher and facilitator of the STEAM Lab at Stevens Elementary School, in Houston, TX. Although Ms. Ricketts was born in New York City, she grew up in Houston and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Her parents, who are from Caribbean descent, always encouraged her to further her education and instilled in her great moral values and a solid work ethic. These paired well with her passion for teaching science and STEAM, specifically for ensuring equity in STEAM education.
In November 2020, Deirdre Ricketts joined our alliantgroup Strategic Advisory Board, which is a group of experts in their fields who bring their unique experiences to the table to provide invaluable service and key insights to our clients. Many of alliantgroup’s clients, across a multitude of industries, struggle with finding and retaining STEM talent, and are committed to working together to find sustainable and replicable solutions. Teachers like Deirdre are leading the charge in making the U.S. a STEM powerhouse once again!”
“I strongly believe that our future depends on creating inquisitive learners who are excited by STEAM and are poised to be our next generation of problem solvers and inventors,” said Ricketts. “alliantgroup has made this their mission as well and I am honored to join the advisory board to further the cause together.”
Thank you Ms. Ricketts for supporting our mission. We look forward to continue to grow our partnership of inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers and inventors!
