photo by steed media service

Reagan Flowers is a modern-day Mary McLeod Bethune. As executive director of C-STEM (Communication, Science, Technology and Mathematics) Teacher and Support Services, Inc., she teaches students math and science skills in a society she says glorifies sports over education. “We celebrate our athletic teams, but what about the kid that built a robot?” she implores. “[Students interested in math and science fields] have to have an advocate, and that’s [what] we are.”

C-STEM does just that. Since its inception in 2002, the organization provides students with opportunities to utilize cutting-edge technology, seek mentorship from professionals in the field and construct projects that lead to college scholarships. The program supports kindergarten through 12th-grade students in over 70 Houston schools. “We serve minority children. Our primary focus [is] African Americans, Hispanics, and girls of all colors ...,” says Flowers. “We work directly with teachers and kids with hands-on, project-based learning in [those areas].”
Flowers says C-STEM introduces students to subject areas like robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and geographical information systems. She adds that communities must create environments where teachers feel appreciated, and standardized testing doesn’t become the only measure of a student’s aptitude. “[Students need to get] the excitement … that will keep them in school, involved, and wanting to be there,” she says.

Like Bethune, Flowers is committed to educating children — after all, knowledge is power. -marissa mitchell

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