Maria Cobb

Wilmington, DE | K-6, Science, 2022

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

I believe all children, regardless of background, ability, or income, deserve access to hands-on STEM learning. As a gifted educator of Latina background in a Title I suburban school, I’ve seen how STEM unlocks confidence and curiosity. I’m driven by equity in creating lessons, leading full-grade STEM events, and securing field trip scholarships so all students can access rich learning and discover their potential.

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

I hope to use my platform to expand access to hands-on STEM experiences, especially for underrepresented students. I create engaging lessons, lead full-grade STEM events, organize real-world field trips, and share resources widely with colleagues. As a gifted educator in a Title I school, I know how important it is to remove barriers and build confidence early. Advancing STEM starts in our classrooms through one child and one opportunity at a time.

Biography

Maria Cobb has been an educator for 26 years and currently teaches third grade in a self-contained gifted classroom at Mount Pleasant Elementary School in the Brandywine School District. She serves as the gifted team leader for kindergarten through third grade and leads STEM instruction for all 150 third-grade students through whole-grade lessons and events. She also founded and facilitates the “STEM Buddies” program, pairing older gifted learners with younger students for hands-on science exploration. Maria organizes field trips to places such as Adventure Aquarium, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, the Franklin Institute, and the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, securing scholarships so all students can participate. She co-facilitated a district STEM summer camp and was honored with the 2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching for Science. Maria is an NGSS teacher leader, test item reviewer, and Amplify Science pilot and trainer. She created a YouTube channel and science enrichment website to support learning during the pandemic. Her instruction includes flipped learning, project-based tasks, and real-world connections like “Skype a Scientist.” She also served as a coach and co-coordinator for Odyssey of the Mind. As a bilingual educator of Latina background, Maria founded the "Big Mount, Little Mount" Spanish Academy and supported teacher training in Nicaragua and with a visiting educator from Saudi Arabia. She was featured in the University of Delaware’s CEHD Alumni Spotlight. Maria holds a B.S., cum laude, and a Master of Instruction from the University of Delaware and is certified in gifted, special education, ELL, and administration.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

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