T-awannda Piper
Greensboro, North Carolina
T-awannda's Story
Motto
“It is not how you start that’s important, it is how you finish.” -Jim George
Teaching Discipline(s)
Science
T-awannda is a Science Teacher and Youth Advocate from Washington D.C. Now serving as an upper level Science Teacher in Greensboro, NC, she works diligently to bring equity to underserved communities through the platforms of education and social reform.
T-awannda has extensive work in developing intervention and prevention programs for high risk youth. She is also at the forefront of developing educational S.T.E.A.M. models and prototypes for adolescent girls that include gender responsive methodologies and practices. T-awannda is a published author and recognized lecturer in the world of trauma informed practices and education in partnership with the University of Chicago School of Medicine and Trauma Center.
Girls and Trauma: Performing Socio-surgery through a Gender Responsiveness Lens is her most recent work and was co-authored with Chicago based Sociologist and Youth Advocate, Sherida V. Morrison. The work is centered on socio-systems that effectively lift girls up as leaders in society within the urban distressed context.
T-awannda is best known for recognizing academic potential and gifts found within the students in her classroom and cultivating those gifts and talents into meeting graduation goals and college readiness.
Featured
Awards
Recognized as as GCS Leader in Digital Learning, April 2020
FoxNews Educator of the Week, May 2020
Certificate of Completion Northwestern Kellogg Executive Education, School of Nonprofit Management with a concentration in Funding for Contractual & Charter Schools, July 2018
Teacher of the Month, December 2017
Rookie Teacher of Year, District Top 5 Finalists September 2017
Rookie Teacher of Year, Dudley High School, April 2017
Teacher of the Month, February 2017
2018 McLean Lecture Series Presenter, University of Chicago-School of Medicine, Girls and Trauma: Performing Socio-Surgery through a Gender Responsive Lens.
Chicago Sun Times, Recognition of Community Transformative Design & Build Project-Climb, Jump, Leap & Imagine, A Play Space for the Roseland Community
Chicago Tribune, Recognition of Community Transformative Design & Build Project-Climb, Jump, Leap & Imagine, A Play Space for the Roseland Community
ABC7News Chicago’s Community Program, Recognition of Community Transformative Design & Build Project-Climb, Jump, Leap & Imagine, A Play Space for the Roseland Community
Metropolitan Planning Council’s Placemaking Grand Prize Winner, Community Transformative Design & Build Project -Climb, Jump, Leap & Imagine, A Play Space for the Roseland Community, 2012
Heroes In The Hood, 2nd Place Winner, Community Transformative Design & Build Project- Climb, Jump, Leap & Imagine, A Play Space for the Roseland Community, 2013
Heroes In The Hood, 3rd Place Winner, Community Transformative Design & Build Project- Contemporary Activities Room, , Fenger High School 2014
Organizations
America Public Health Association & 2020 Conference Presenter
Femme Mentor-Demoiselle 2 Femme, NFP
Design Team-Katherine G Johnson S.T.E.A.M. School for Girls-Chicago
Contributions
Contemporary Activities Room-Provided oversight and instruction for the FEMME 2 S.T.E.M. Boot Camp 2013. An old classroom space at Fenger High School was redesigned and renovated by S.T.E.M. participants as a strategy in fostering the “Culture of Calm” and reducing school related violence
Collaborative Author for How Long Will I Cry, Voices of Youth Violence, Edited by Miles Harvey. How Long Will I Cry is a collaborative book of stories that is designed to raise the consciousness of Chicagoans related to youth violence throughout Chicago’s south and west side communities. In this work, you will find the real life experiences of people that have been directly impacted by and exposed to violence. My narrative is a part of this powerful dissertation with the goal of making violence a reality to those who are far removed from the experiences shared in the book and to encourage peace as a viable option amongst youth in urban centers across the country.
Collaborative Author for Girls And Trauma: Performing Socio-Surgery Through A Gender-Responsive Lens, Springer Publication, March 2020. Girls And Trauma: Performing Socio-Surgery through a Gender Responsive Lens is a journal being released by Springer Science and the University of Chicago Trauma Team. In collaboration with Dr. Selwyn Rogers, the Head of Trauma at the University of Chicago, Dr. Mark Siegler and Sherida V. Morrison, CEO of Demoiselle 2 Femme, NFP the work was developed to speak to the socio-ecological breakdown within the urban context that has induced trauma and adverse child experiences among girls. The journal introduces specialized gender responsive strategies that are critical in addressing the felt needs of girls, reducing the effects of trauma, and restoring balance within socio-ecological systems through strength-based practices.
Collaborative Author and Editor for Girls in the City: A Status Report on Teen Girls Residing in Chicago
Girls in the City: A Status Report on Teen Girls Residing in Chicago is a document released by the Coalition on Urban Girls-Chicago (CUG). CUG is an organization of girl serving organizations that collectively work to serve the needs of adolescent girls throughout the city of Chicago. On October 11, 2018, CUG-Chicago disseminated the report to city stakeholders and policy makers which included data regarding the risk and impact of low socio-economic conditions, violence, unaddressed trauma, sexual assault and trafficking, and poor access to high educational attainment. CUG-Chicago’s goal is to awaken city change agents to the plight of girls and mobilize key strategists and policy makers to action on behalf of girls residing in the city of Chicago.
