Creating STEM Momentum: Culturally Relevant Leadership and Hispanic Girls in High School T- STEM Programs in the Southwest Border Region

Authors

Antoinette Howard, New Mexico State UniversityFollow
Pamela Gray, New Mexico State UniversityFollow
Kristin Kew, New Mexico State UniversityFollow

Short Title

Creating STEM Momentum

Keywords

STEM, culturally responsive leadership, culturally sustaining leadership, educational administration, educational leadership

Abstract

This qualitative multi-case research study identified culturally relevant leadership practices that influence the outreach, recruitment, and retention of Hispanic girls in Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (T-STEM) programs in a School District in the Southwest Border region. Educators have a social justice responsibility to challenge the inequitable social, cultural, and political constructs in their schools and districts and address the unique needs of students who represent underserved racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Administrators in this study acknowledged the hegemonic structures and barriers they and their students faced and shared some of their strategies and ideologies for school improvement and equity. Suggestions for educators and policymakers are made on how to implement culturally responsive and sustaining leadership that can spark and sustain the interest of Hispanic girls to continue their pursuit of higher education and careers in STEM fields.

Recommended Citation

Howard, Antoinette; Gray, Pamela; and Kew, Kristin (2019) "Creating STEM Momentum: Culturally Relevant Leadership and Hispanic Girls in High School T- STEM Programs in the Southwest Border Region," School Leadership Review: Vol. 15: Iss. 1, Article 19.
Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/slr/vol15/iss1/19