Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1437090
She sponsors mentorships and internships, holds weekend workshops and summer camps, and part- ners with industry experts to prepare students for well-paying careers. The Fullerton College biology professor has an impressive list of awards. She was a finalist for National Postsecondary Teacher of the Year by the Association for Career and Technical Education, which honored her as the 2019 Region V Postsec- ondary Teacher of the Year. In 2017, she received the California Hayward Award for Excellence in Education and the Orange County Science and Engineering Fair Educator of the Year Award. She has also been selected twice for Teacher of the Year at Fullerton College, where she has taught since 1990. But the greatest rewards for Wu, a member of United Faculty North Orange County CCD, stem from knowing that she's opening doors for female, ESL and minority students who are underrepresented in the sciences. "I love knowing I'm helping students learn some- thing that will help them get a job or start a future career," she says. "I love knowing I'm helping students learn something that will help them get a job or start a future career." JO WEN WU: Opening Doors for Students in Science W H E N I T CO M E S TO E N CO U R AG I N G S T U D E N T S TO P U R S U E B I OT E C H CA R E E R S, J O W E N W U H AS I T D OW N TO A S C I E N C E . foster youths. She personally interviews and hires the mentors, who receive a small paycheck. They provide social-emotional support and serve as role models. When students graduate and have only two invitations for the ceremony, mentors are often invited, says White. Her job can be exhausting and overwhelming. Some- times she receives late-night calls when school families are experiencing emergency situations. "Lots of people hear the word 'Paramount' and think we are a wealthy community because of Paramount Studios. But we are a Title I district with a mostly low-so- cioeconomic Hispanic population." White, the daughter of a minister and a teacher, grew up in the San Fernando Valley. She began her career teaching elementary school. During that time students would come to her with their problems — and there was never enough time to listen. "I would always say, 'Honey, can you tell me later?' And later never came. There was a lot of pressure to keep the students on pace. I felt horrible about it." Eighteen years ago, she became a counselor, and ever since she has loved being able to say "Honey, you can tell me about that now" when students are upset. Even though she is busy overseeing programs these days, White counsels individual students when needed. She had a steep learning curve when she was put in charge of the district's foster youth and homeless stu- dents' programs, but happily accepted the challenge. "I felt that I was either going to swim or sink in this job — but instead I jumped on my boogie board. I love, love, love what I do." White at TAP's resource center, where families can pick up necessities. 24 cta.org