Meet Vanessa Minick, Ph.D., one of the Reading and Language Arts teachers at St. Petersburg Collegiate High School STEM (SPCHS STEM). It doesn’t take long for Dr. Minick’s love of teaching and of her students to reveal itself. Originally from Pennsylvania, she moved to Florida at a young age and always knew that teaching was her calling. Dr. Minick graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in English and went on to work at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville while completing her Masters in Elementary Education at UF.
Upon completing her degree, Dr. Minick moved back to the Tampa Bay area where she worked at USF and spent 10 years teaching aspiring elementary education students how to become teachers. “I enjoyed that because I felt like I was making a greater impact because I was able to influence those future teachers who would eventually influence many students.” Around that time, Dr. Minick began her family and also worked on her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in her “spare time”.
Dr. Minick came to SPCHS STEM looking for the opportunity to work with high school students. SPCHS STEM gave her many ways to get involved. In addition to teaching, Dr. Minick has been leading a variety of clubs at SPCHS STEM which include: Battle of the Books, the Decorating Committee, Student Government, the school newspaper, and the Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (PMAC).
What Dr. Minick likes best about SPCHS STEM is the experience of working so closely with the students because of the small class sizes. “I like the smaller classes because it makes it feel like family,” said Minick. “I also like our objectives here and that they challenge students in order to better prepare them. I like supporting my students through the learning process.”
There is no doubt that Dr. Minick’s influence is great within the SPCHS STEM community. According to SPCHS STEM Principal Raquel Hairston, “Dr. Minick’s teaching observations have been invaluable in knowing how we can tailor our teaching methods to meet the individual needs of each student.” And Principal Hairston went on to say, “Dr. Minick’s dedication to fostering a positive and engaging learning environment is evident, and it reflects in the enthusiasm our students have for her class.”