PHOTO: Charity James & Meghann Pytka
Like most educational programs, Soar into STEM is going virtual for the winter 2020 session. Transforming our highly successful in-person curriculum to an equally robust and engaging virtual program that stays true to its goal of inspiring students to pursue STEM and aviation careers is a tall order — so we brought in some heavyweight talent.
Meghann Pytka is an instructional specialist whose immediate task will be redesigning Soar into STEM into a virtual program, allowing us to navigate Covid-19 health protocols while reaching a broader population of students. Meghann describes herself as a teacher who enjoys “working with students, making material interactive and problem solving. I also like getting to know people and their questions. I firmly believe in asking tough questions.”
Meghann grew up in Rhode Island and attended Colgate University where she developed a passion for travel and history. She spent a year at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, before pursuing her Ph.D. in history at Northwestern University. Meghann and her family recently moved to St. Louis, where she has quickly become a Cardinals fan. She currently works in course design, development and delivery for the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University. When not working, she can usually be found writing or spending time with her family.
Our new Soar into STEM Lead Teacher, Charity James, has been working and volunteering in the nonprofit world for the past decade. Prior to joining Wings of Hope, she taught elementary students in the Kirkwood School District. During weekend sessions, she also served as a training facilitator for the St. Louis Internship Program, where she taught professional skills to high school students to help them prepare for life after graduation. She is currently a graduate student at Webster University and will earn a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership in December. When she is not working and studying, Charity enjoys binge watching shows on Netflix and eating chocolate chip cookies.