Alyssa Baumann- Metro East Faculty
Alyssa earned a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education from Eastern Illinois University and is now a 3rd grade teacher at Hinchcliffe Elementary in O’Fallon, IL. Alyssa is pumped to meet students who share her passion in STEM and work with them to explore how STEM is applicable to our everyday lives! However, just don’t offer her any seafood because she has a major fish phobia, yikes!
Angela Berger – Aurora Program Instructor
Angela’s favorite era in history is the medieval era, because “armor is cool”! During the school year Angela is a sixth grade teacher at the Fred Rogers Magnet Academy in Aurora. Angela holds an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Benedictine University, and she loves bringing the excitement of engineering principals and the design process to kids…..and building stuff!
Benjamin Cosgrove – Chicago Program Instructor
Ben serves as one of our Chicago Allies program instructors. He is “beyond pumped” to see all students discover through hands on learning this summer! Ben takes multitasking to a whole new level because he can juggle while riding a unicycle!
Joe Cipfl – Metro East Faculty
Joe graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education, and later earned a Masters in Educational Leadership at McKendree University. Now a Biology teacher in O’Fallon School District 90, he’s excited to be working with motivated and enthusiastic STEM students in our IMSA programs this summer. When Joe isn’t teaching, he’s an avid swimmer and cyclist.
Julie Gervais – Aurora Program Instructor
Julie teaches STEM art at the Fred Rogers Magnet Academy during the school year. Julie holds a master of science in art education from Northern Illinois University. She is looking forward to helping our summer campers make connections between art and science. We can’t wait to have her help in bringing some STEAM to our Summer@IMSA programs!
Luke Petro – Chicago Program Instructor
During the school year, Luke teaches at Perspectives Charter High School and serves as one our Chicago Allies program facilitators. Luke is a graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University and is looking forward to a week with Allies and campers at our Joslin location. Ask Luke about the new addition to his family!
Rachel Poettker – Metro East Faculty
During the school year Rachel is a sixth grade teacher at Harmony Intermediate and will be teaching in our Metro East programs this summer. She has a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville)) and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (SIUE). Rachel loves when the students get to create using STEM and their faces light up when their creation works! She has two cats in her family – one of whom thinks it is a dog!