Abigail Hodges

“I have a vision for our children in this country, that they may all be exposed to the same educational opportunities, be equipped with the intellectual same tools, and run the race that they choose. I became an academic because I loved the search for knowledge. I became a teacher once I understood the knowledge I should be searching for.”

Science Teacher and Academic

Abby Hodges is currently a high school science teacher at Golda Meir School, a grades 3-12 school in Milwaukee Public Schools. She currently teaches Physics and Engineering, although she is also certified to teach Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science. Abby began her career as a teacher in 2017, working as a science teacher in the suburban school district of Waukesha. Prior to teaching, Abby worked in Biomedical research. She did research in neurodegenerative disease at Hoglund Brain Imaging Center at KU Medical Center in Kansas City. She then continued doing research in hypertension and cardiovascular disease at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Abby received her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology at the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2010.

Connecting With and Empowering Students

Abby has a vast array of experiences culturally, academically, personally, professionally, etc. She learned the importance of language and communication early on in life, which heightens her ability to learn more. This also elevates her ability to teach complex content to her students of all levels and abilities. Her ability to communicate and code-switch with her students provides a bridge to bring even her lowest academic performers from a place of ignorance to understanding. And because of her inquisitive nature, she always seeks to find deeper meaning in everything she learns and teaches, bringing her students to places of nuance of the material, seeking out ways to make relevant even the most obscure and unrelatable content. She utilizes her expertise and knowledge in technology to optimize efficiency of every day tasks so she can focus on her instruction and delivery, always looking at data she collects to improve student outcomes.

Abby is a 2023 Committed Scholars Program recipient.