Hell's Kitchen Teacher Wins $20K Education Award

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — A Hell's Kitchen high school biology teacher has been awarded a prestigious education award, one that comes with a hefty $20,000 prize.

Teacher Ellie Williamson, who has taught for over 24 years in Jamaica, Canada and New York — and for the past 14, at Hell's Kitchen's Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction on West 50th Street — has been awarded the Math for America's Muller Award for Professional Influence in Education.

The annual award honors educators who have influenced the teaching profession in "exceptional ways" while serving as Math for America Master Teachers, reads the group's website.

“I am deeply humbled to receive the MƒA Muller Award," said Williamson. "The award itself is a great honor as is being a part of MfA, an organization that has played such a significant role in my professional growth as a teacher.”

Math for America was founded nearly 20 years ago to encourage the development, recruitment and retention of STEM teachers in New York City public schools.

While at the School of Design and Construction, Williamson has taken on a number of leadership positions, including department chair, curriculum coordinator, monitoring new student teachers and serving on the school's equity team.

She's also served as an adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College, Hunter College and Lehman college.

Williamson also authored a book chapter in the Black diaspora anthology, "A Paradise to Regain," titled: "Can You Get What You Really Want? A Jamaican-Born Science Educator Reflects on Success Attainability."

With a B.S. in Botany and Zoology from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, and an M.S. Ed in Science Education from Lehman College, Williamson is also currently a Ph.D candidate at CUNY, where she researches technology in education, science, teaching and learning.

In addition to the $20,000 Williamson was awarded this month, $5,000 will also be given to each winner's nominating institution.

“Our collective work as mathematics and science educators is difficult, important, and timely," Williamson said. "Although some may not see the value of this work, we mustn’t forget the impact we have on our students. Let’s continue teaching our students to be critical and creative thinkers who question and counter harmful narratives about themselves and their capabilities.”