Steubenville Teacher Honored for Work With STEM Academy
Linda Harris Trending
When she was in high school, Heather Hoover says she thought long and hard about going into teaching, "and then I didn't."
Hoover, who scored nationwide honors recently for her work with Project Lead the Way at McKinley STEM Academy, said she ended up going to school for real estate instead but never pursued it as a career.
"I was offered a job at a local day care center," she said. "I worked in day care for several years, which was convenient for me because I was young, I was married, I had little kids and I got to take them to work with me every day. But once my kids became school age I started volunteering more with the schools -- I was a parent volunteer, I was PTO president at one time -- and then it just clicked for me."
Her epiphany coincided with the closing of the day care where she'd been working due to funding issues. She went back to school, earning her bachelor's degree at Franciscan University of Steubenville, then did her master's work at Cleveland State University followed by administration back at Franciscan. She started substituting in Steubenville City Schools in 2007 and was hired full-time two years later.
"It's probably the best choice that I ever made," she said. "I mean, I love my job. I love working with kids. I love seeing that excitement when they (have that) 'Aha, I got it (moment.)'"
Project Lead the Way encourages students to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills they can use in STEM careers or any other career path they might choose.
"It's all about career tech pathways," she said. "It's all problem based, all real-world scenarios, so it's focusing more on critical thinking and problem solving."
Hoover said Steubenville City Schools STEM Director Shana Wydra "is always looking for different programs that we can implement in the elementary that carry clear through to high school." About four years ago they started working them into the curriculum at the elementary level, beginning with McKinley STEM Academy.
"That's when I transitioned from a classroom teacher to coming to this building when it reopened as curriculum facilitator," she said. "I trained for it, was co-teaching and teaching other teachers how to use the program."
PLTW isn't just about getting the right answer, but about getting kids to think about how they came up with that answer.
"It's a deeper thinking for them as well because we're teaching them the processes and the steps to get to their solution and then work backward," she said. Once the kids reach a solution, "We're saying 'now explain it to me."
Hoover was recently named recipient of the 2023-24 National Project Lead the Way Launch Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes educators who inspire, engage and empower their students with transformative classroom learning experiences through PLTW programs.
As a Project Lead the Way lead teacher, organizers said Hoover provides all staff in Steubenville City Schools with Project Lead the Way Launch training and professional development and as the lead teacher for Steubenville City Schools, oversees all students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
Under her direction, McKinley STEM Academy has earned Project Lead the Way Distinguished School Honors in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Harding Middle School scored the honor in 2022 and 2023, while East Garfield Elementary School, Wells Academy and Pugliese West Elementary School earned honors in 2023.