A devoted teacher for over 15 years, Michelle Brooks teaches 7th grade science at Thomas C. Cario Middle School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.  Living in a coastal community provides her the unique opportunity to expose students to a wide range of ecosystems and study how they coexist with each other. Michelle’s lessons use an Environment Based Curriculum (EIC Model) to engage the students through real world, hands on, community based projects and activities, with the ultimate goal of helping these students not only to understand and appreciate the environment, but to also achieve higher levels of overall academic success.

In 2014 Michelle was selected to participate in The Citadel STEM Center of Excellence Ambassador Program.  The professional development program focuses on increasing interdisciplinary Science, Technology, Engineering and Math content, STEM teaching pedagogies, 21st century skills, and industry knowledge to advance student learning in STEM while inspiring and preparing students to pursue STEM-based careers. Michelle is participating in the year-long program and works with the STEM education faculty at The Citadel and other professionals as they engage in “real-time” professional development where their learning will be actively implemented in their classrooms. Michelle grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and spent her childhood vacationing in the Chesapeake Bay and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  It was here where she developed her deep appreciation for the environment and witnessed the human impact to a fragile ecosystem.

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