In just her second year of teaching, Kimberly Colbert was appointed lead teacher of the science department at Thompson Middle School in Richmond. Over the next year, her outstanding instruction, combined with the leadership and support she provided to fellow teachers, helped raise the pass rate on the state's Standards of Learning (SOL) test from 44 percent to over 95 percent. Since then, the pass rate has remained at above 90 percent among the school's urban student population, many from families with low socioeconomic status. As coordinator of Project BEST (Basic Education Skills and Training), a collaborative after-school mentor tutoring program in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Colbert helps students improve their academic achievement while inspiring them to become the next generation of talented teachers. She is also a member of Thompson Middle School's Virginia Grade-Level Assessment (VGLA) Team, designing lessons and assessments to help students with disabilities demonstrate mastery of course content. She is the recipient of a Technology Integration Award from the Richmond City Public Schools, and was named Thompson Middle School Teacher of the Year.
2001 University of Richmond, B.A.
