Washington
Melissa believes that one of the best ways to engage students and nurture their problem-solving skills is to give them a sense of purpose. “I want students to look at ways they can make a difference and inspire other youth as well,” Melissa says. “My students are encouraged to serve in their community so they can see there are needs, and that they have the leadership to make innovation happen.” As community volunteers, Melissa’s students tackle local issues through application design, programming outreach, and engineering solutions. Students decide on their own projects, and through these choices, she says, they find their own voice.
Fun Fact: Melissa is one of the founding members of a game design collective, “Creative Juggernaut,” which seeks to manage and publish intellectual properties in mobile, print, and game play.
Follow Melissa on Twitter, @wrenchey.