Way up on the tenth floor, the expansive North Atlanta campus is shown in its best light. The long set of windows highlights our recently updated track and baseball field. Behind the exquisite view, lie a few classrooms that have gotten the unfortunate case of not owning a single window. IB Math teacher Ms. Grant inherited a classroom like this when she came back to North Atlanta’s new campus in 2022.
Grant, a blackbelt in four different types of martial arts, does not let this stop her. Inspired by a STEM camp she attended in elementary school, Grant has a passion like no other for everything STEM related. Her college education took place at the esteemed Georgia Tech, a short 15 minute drive from NA, where she earned a degree in chemical engineering. “It was a lot of chemistry, a lot of math, a lot of physics, but I loved it,” said Grant.
After engaging with the job market for a few years, Grant landed at North Atlanta’s old campus teaching physics. She had found her calling. Interesting fact: Grant launched the rigorous IB Physics program that exists at North Atlanta to this day. “I felt that I was talented at teaching, and I could actually make a difference, so I chose the teaching route,” said Ms Grant.
Grant was born curious, so when the opportunity arose for her to teach in Korea, she immediately jumped at it. She radiates with passion when reflecting on the trip. In Korea, she was the driving force behind a STEM based afterschool program called Emotional Quotient. “It was amazing, just the coolest opportunity. It was incredible to build a program from scratch and be able to make connections with the community through that,” said Grant.
In 2022, Grant entered the role of IB Math teacher at North Atlanta. Currently, she uses the role to guide and inspire students to spot the unique intersections embedded in math. Her focus lies not on a student’s ability to plug numbers into an equation and get the correct answer, but on a student’s ability to synthesize information and use the knowledge they’ve gained to answer all sorts of questions. Grant said, “My main goal is to enable my students to think critically. The ability to take a situation and apply your knowledge about the subject is so valuable.”
Based on Grant’s past, her future at North Atlanta will not follow the well beaten path. It will swerve and snake, fueled by a passion for STEM and a drive like no other to inspire the younger generation. With the world steering towards a STEM-heavy future, teachers like Ms. Grant are as valuable as ever. And it’s an added plus that she has four types of black belts.
