CAVIAT Students Teach Others

Post written with significant contributions by Brent Nielson, CAVIAT Superintendent.

Dr. Susan Rieck, STEM Teacher of the Year nominee, is a retired Registered Nurse and past Assistant Dean and Associate Professor with NAU. Dr. Rieck has spent over 40 years in the health field advocating for the importance of STEM education. She now works with our local youth to inspire and encourage them to pursue STEM careers. As the CAVIAT Medical Profession Foundations teacher, she works with local professionals to expose her students to the various STEM careers available in the health field. While a nurse and educator by trade, Dr. Rieck has worked with NAU, CCC, Coconino County Health Department, Flagstaff Medical Center, North Country Health Care and many private practices, to frame the STEM community in Northern Arizona for her students.

Dr. Susan Rieck

The CAVIAT Medical Professionals Foundation class includes students from four Flagstaff high schools as well as home school students. In addition to the Arizona State Board Skills Standards, her students have been collaborating with the Northern Arizona Health Education Center (NAHEC) to learn human body systems and how to teach the In-A-Box kits to local 4th to 6th grade students. The photos below are from a recent presentation in Michelle Despain's combined 4th-6th grade class at Montessori Charter School of Flagstaff.

CAVIAT students Summer Robertson (upper left), Levitta Curtis (upper right), Rebecca Adams (center and lower right) and Cori Jarmer (lower right) help Ms. Despain's 4th-6th graders at Montessori Charter School of Flagstaff learn about human systems.

Thank you to Dr. Rieck and her students, CAVIAT, and NAHEC, for this wonderful STEM collaboration!