Tennessee Education Lottery Educator of the Week: Marianne Hawes

JACKSON, Tenn. — This week’s Educator of the Week presented by the Tennessee Education Lottery teaches here in Jackson at North Parkway Middle School.

After graduating from Union University with a background in education and science, Marianne Hawes taught in the Trenton school system before ending up in Jackson.

“This is my third year here, and I’ve been at North Parkway for all the times, and I’ve taught seventh grade science for two years, and this is my first year teaching STEMs.”

Originally from North Carolina, Hawes and her husband fell in love with West Tennessee. She enjoys being able to see her students wherever she goes.

“I just really love our kids,” Hawes said. “We live down the street, so I drive past kids that I teach on their way to the bus stop and I see them at our Kroger. It’s just a community that I’ve always wanted.”

What Hawes is really passionate about is science.

“I’ve just always loved science, and so when it came to STEMs, it was taking the things that I loved about science, the questioning of it and all, but putting it onto something hands-on to solve a problem for people,” she said.

She said she feels that having STEM classes — or science, technology, engineering and math — is vital for students to have, and she wants to help them understand it better.

“Even though I’m teaching science, any job that they have, things that are hard, are going to come up, and I just want to teach them to keep going at it,” Hawes said.

Hawes says she would love to go beyond the classroom by becoming a mentor and hopefully getting a master’s degree in science and social work.

“I would love to keep working here,” Hawes said. I’d love to keep building up our STEMs program if I could be here as a teacher or some kind of guidance to help meet those social needs that our kids sometimes don’t get outside.”

Hawes will now be eligible for the statewide Tennessee Education Lottery Educator of the Month award. Starting in February, to vote for her or any of the other nominees, visit seehowitaddsup.com.

To nominate a teacher for our weekly award, email us at educator@wbbjtv.com.