“Mission Possible.” That’s the mantra science teacher Barb Currey lives by and what drives her to motivate her students about science and to pursue futures careers in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) fields. “I try to make the difficult topics in science approachable by young learners,” said Currey, who most enjoys teaching inquiry-based, hands-on STEM labs. Currey’s commitment to her students is why she was selected to be in the Staff Spotlight for November. The Board of Education recognized Currey as this month's Staff Spotlight recipient at the November 16 meeting.
Currey has taught in the Cuyahoga Heights Schools for the past 31 years. She taught first grade for the first five years and then was asked to teach K-3 science. Science and technology has been a big part of her life, says Currey, who admits that if she weren’t a teacher, she’d be a physician. She is proud of the three generations of mechanical engineers in her family. These include her father, her husband, and her son, a recent graduate of the University of Michigan who is now working in Chicago. Her daughter graduated from Hopkins with a computer science degree and is now a first-year medical student at Case Western Reserve University.
When not working, Currey loves reading, especially non-fiction. She also enjoys classical music, baking, and taking long walks with her two dogs. Whereas she once considered herself “extremely competitive” in sports she now confesses to applying this attribute during family game night.
Though science is a big part of her life, Currey admits to having one small phobia. “I don’t like bugs, especially roaches!” she exclaimed.