Three Rhode Island Teachers Receive 2024 Rhode Island STEAM Educator Award

Published on Friday, November 22, 2024

Annual award spotlights excellence in STEAM education throughout Rhode Island on the elementary, middle and high school levels

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – In surprise celebrations across the state on Friday, representatives from the Rhode Island Department of Education, the Rhode Island STEAM Center at Rhode Island College (RIC), and Rhode Island Energy presented three teachers with the 2024 RI STEAM Educator Award. The awardees are:

• Julie Maruska, the Compass School, Kingston
• Kerri Krawczyk, Kickemuit Middle School, Bristol-Warren Regional School District
• Verda Jones, Charles E. Shea Senior High School, Pawtucket School Department

The annual award is presented by the Rhode Island STEAM Center during RI STEAM Month, observed in November, and highlights the work educators are doing in the areas of teaching science, technology, engineering, art and design, and mathematics.

“Rhode Island is proud to present this award to distinguished educators who go above and beyond each day for students,” said Governor Dan McKee. “I extend my congratulations to Julie, Kerri and Verda for their excellent achievements. It is the work that you do that helps to ensure Rhode Island students are successful and inspired to be the next generation of STEAM professionals. I am grateful for your contributions to our great state.”

"The importance of STEAM education is exemplified by all three 2024 Rhode Island STEAM Educator awardees, and I commend their spirit and dedication to the content matter,” said Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “Julie, Kerri and Verda have all shown how successful our students can be when they are thoroughly engaged and inspired by what they are learning in and out of the classroom. Thank you to these three educators who are consistently demonstrating excellence in the teaching profession and who are always striving for equitable opportunities for each and every Rhode Island student.”

Julie Maruska has served as science teacher for grades 5 and 6 at the Compass School in Kingston since 2023 and has committed her career to STEAM education. During her time at the Compass School, Maruska has engaged her students in the curriculum by incorporating hands-on STEAM learning experiences such as weekly challenges and lessons that focus on the 5-Step Engineering Design Cycle (ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve). Maruska also designed and piloted a schoolwide K-8 Scientific Writing rubric. She is a graduate of Providence College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

"These amazing teachers embody the innovation and dedication that define exceptional STEAM educators,” said Doug Alexander, Director of the Institute for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College. “Their efforts not only engage students in transformative learning experiences but also inspire them to pursue pathways in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics that will shape Rhode Island’s future. It’s an honor to celebrate their achievements and the impact they have on their students and communities. As a former STEM teacher myself, I know how hard and yet how rewarding this work can be, and I admire them tremendously for helping to build a brighter future for Rhode Island's students."

A National Board-certified educator, Kickemuit Middle School’s Kerri Krawczyk has worked at the school as a grades 6 through 8 STEM teacher since 2016. Krawczyk helped develop an integrated STEAM curriculum that supports school and district goals and incorporates project-based learning (PBL) strategies that focus on the engineering design process. She also implemented Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses and the SeaPerch underwater robotics program, leading her students to the international competition in 2018 and 2019. She also serves as the head coach of the school’s Science Olympiad team, which won the state championship in 2023 and 2024. Krawczyk is a graduate of Roger Williams University and PC.

"Rhode Island's clean energy future lies in the hands of its youth, and it is critical they acquire the skills they need to excel in STEAM subjects,” said Greg Cornett, president of Rhode Island Energy. “We are proud to support the Rhode Island STEAM center and the outstanding teachers whose work and dedication encourages students to pursue and succeed in these fields.”

Verda Jones, a distinguished educator from Shea High School in Pawtucket, has worked at Shea since 2012. She currently serves as the PLTW/career and technical education (CTE) Pre-Engineering Lead Teacher. In this capacity, she immerses her students in hands-on learning projects that promote STEM integration, problem-solving, and collaboration. She also guides students with tools such as computer-aided design and 3D printing and aligns lessons to industry standards in order to foster inspiration among students to pursue careers in engineering. Jones serves as an adjunct professor of an engineering course at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and manages Shea’s pre-engineering CTE budget. She has also received awards as a coach for the robotics and wind turbine teams. Jones is a graduate of Tougaloo College in Mississippi and Brown University.

Along with being recognized as a 2024 RI STEAM Educator, awardees will receive a $1,000 classroom stipend and a $500 personal award courtesy of the Rhode Island Energy Foundation. The three STEAM educators were also presented engraved awards.

RI STEAM Educator nominations and applications are reviewed by a team from the RI STEAM Center, RIDE, and RIC. The STEAM Educator Award is dedicated to Dr. Carol Giuriceo, who served as the center’s director since 2013 and organized the first STEAM Educator Award. Dr. Giuriceo passed away in 2021 after a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer.

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