Team 2021
Design Team For Biggest Winner Summer 2021
The design team for the Massachusetts 2021 Summer Biggest Winner Math Challenge includes educators with a broad range of careers and lived experiences. With more than 150 years among them, this Ed Inquiry team is collectively creating a new approach to education that creates an authentic conversation from which learning takes place. As longstanding contributing members of their respective communities, these design team members have successfully navigated the many systemic barriers in their career and lives. These leaders, educators and contributors have come together this year, to ensure that a transformative experience is created for children across the Commonwealth. All participants of the Biggest Winner Match Challenge will be learning. – From rising 5th to 9th graders enrolled, to the high school interns that will get real world exposure to the field of education workin as summer assistants, to the math instructors coming together from across the country to learn new methods, tools and techniques and the grassroots project team that embraced the call of Commissioner Riley to expand the program for many more students, especially those of color, this summer. The 2021 Biggest Winner Math Challenge Team is ready to engage, encourage, entertain and enlighten OUR students from across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts this summer.
The Team
Tyrone Mowat, MBA (Ed Inquiry)
Team Lead
- 30 years in industry
- Social Entrepreneur
- 12 years in public education with
- proven results in turnaround
- Former Chair: Gifted/Talented Advisory Education Council Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Believes the time is now, we must find and nurture future leaders
- Biggest Winner Founding Member
Molander Etienne
Curriculum Advisor
- 25 plus years in education
- proven results closing the achievement gap
- Deep experience in culturally affirming literacy curriculum
- Deep experience successfully leading teachers of children of color.
- Believes that Black and Brown children MUST be globally competitive readers and writers, now!
Barbara Brothers
Project Coordinator
- 20 years in education with proven results
- After school program coordinator
- Biggest Winner Massachusetts Founding Member
- Believes that when adults focus on what is in the best interest of the children and have high expectations students succeed.
Dena DeGraffenreid
Program Coordinator
- Boston native residing in Atlanta, GA
- Specializes in building rapport and establishing relationships
- 10 years of experience within the mental health and human service field
- Believes that we are best able to authentically communicate with our children when we know, respect and accept their culture as we expose them to our lived experiences.
Heath Racela
Video Producer
- 15 plus years in television production
- Producer on This Old House Series for PBS
- Deep experience in video communication
- Believes that video can reach and teach so many in new and innovative ways.
Brynmore Williams
Director of Photography
- Cinematographer
- Video Content Creator
- Award wining director & cinematographer
Christopher Smith
Cluster Leader
- 7 years in education
- Emerging teacher adopting new methods and tools
- Biggest Winner Massachusetts Founding Member
- Believes that students learn best when they are engaged, trust the adults around and operate within a supportive class community
Sonya Patton
SEL Content Contributor
- Therapist
- 20 years in education
- proven results in school turnaround
- Former school counselor
- 8th grade HS transition program
- Believes that students must leave school with strategies for every day life as well as great academics.
Robert Howard
Team Leader
- 25 years in education
- deep understanding of classroom experience in the urban settings
- Pragmatic approach to teaching math as language
- Current math teacher 8th grade students of color
- Biggest Winner Massachusetts Founding Member
- Believes that true liberation is built upon a foundation of education
Raheem Howard
Team Leader
- 10 years serving in in-patient mental health care
- Biggest Winner Massachusetts Founding Member
- Believes that students learn best from those they know and feel kinship with. Every student needs to have several adults they can model.
Deanna Rogers
Project Advisor
- 40 years leading schools throughout the country
- Experience with school logistics, planning and programming
- Biggest Winner New Orleans Founding Member
- Believes we should meet children where they are and help them to grow to what they can be
Delea Mowatt
Education Technologist
- Years working on application platforms
- Data savvy and tech savvy