Carla Neely

Fellowship Placement: U.S. Senate
Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Carla Neely is currently a fifth and sixth grade science and computer science teacher at Warner Girls’ Leadership Academy for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Cleveland, OH. Carla has been a teacher for twenty-three years in urban classrooms. She is certified and has experience teaching all subjects, with specialization in science and math. She has a passion for urban education. She considers it an honor to teach underprivileged and underrepresented children, and she is an advocate for exposing African American girls to different aspects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Carla holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Cleveland State University. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in education with a focus on curriculum and technology from the University of Phoenix. Carla is proud to be 2022 Ohio District 11 Teacher of the Year and to also become one of the finalists for the 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year. Being a winner of the 2021 and 2022 NSTA and Shell Urban Science Educator Development Award and a member of the 2021-2022 Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Equity Fellows programs is what makes her more proud. Both recognize her work in providing equitable opportunities for urban students, specifically African American girls in science and computer science. Carla’s teaching philosophy is that all children can learn. You must meet them where they are and then take them higher.  Carla Neely recently earned the Master Teacher designation for the state of Ohio. She trains and speaks at events geared towards helping teachers integrate computer science into their instruction and best practices for teaching science to African American girls.