Stevenson teacher wins $100,000 to set up campus technology hub

Hundreds of students erupted in raucous cheers at Stevenson Middle School as teacher Patricia Morgan was named Thursday as a national winner of a $100,000 grant to set up an “Imaginerium” on campus.

Everyone at the school knew their STEM teacher was a finalist in the Farmers Insurance Dream Big Teacher Challenge. But the five ultimate winners were determined by online voting across the country and came as a surprise.

Morgan intends to use the $100,000 prize to create an “Innovative Invention Imaginerium,” a hub for students to learn and share the latest technology.

“It’s a place where the kids can come and learn 21st- century skills,” she said during the contest. “They would learn how to use 3-D printers, laser cutters, new coding, video game design, electronics, robotics.”

“We are opening the door for them to be able to create and use the newest technology and learn these new skills that they can apply later in their careers.”

Now in her fifth year at Stevenson, Morgan is a dynamo on the campus on the slopes of Punchbowl. Along with her duties teaching STEM, (science, technology, engineering and math), she coaches the math and Science Olympiad teams and coordinates fundraising for the school.

She came to Hawaii from California because her husband, Todd, was recruited as chief information officer for AlohaCare. She has her sights on helping launch the next generation of information technology talent locally.

“That’s what I’m trying to target, so that we have that talent on island,” she said.

Morgan’s proposal was one of 15 finalists across the country chosen by a panel of experts in Farmers’ Thank America’s Teachers program. Online voting ran through October.

The Imaginerium also will help students at neighboring schools in Stevenson’s complex, from elementary through high school.

“We would have little workshops,” she said. “I even have in the budget learning how to DJ. So there’s something for everyone.”