Newark Educator Among 10 U.S. ‘Amazon Teachers of the Year’

NEWARK, NJ — A computer science teacher at KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy (NCA) in Essex County recently scored a big round of applause – and a $25,000 grant for his school – by being named as a 2021 “Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year.”

Harold Brown was among 10 people selected from a pool of thousands of eligible teachers for the award, which recognized him for “going above and beyond to inspire his students to build skills in computer science and to promote diversity and inclusion in the field.”

Brown will receive a prize package valued at more than $30,000, which includes $25,000 for his school and a $5,000 teacher cash award. NCA plans to use the prize to build a complete scope of computer science courses, organizers said in a news release.

The seasoned educator has been teaching for 12 years, nine of which he has spent at NCA. He received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, and began teaching for Teach For America in rural Arkansas, eventually serving as a manager of teacher leadership development. He moved outside of Newark and began teaching at NCA in 2012.

Brown learned of the award when his colleagues surprised them with an “Amazon box” filled with Amazon Future Engineer swag.

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“Receiving this honor is certainly a highlight of my professional career,” Brown said. “The award will help NCA invest in critical STEM programs, such as physical computing and robotics, for our hardworking students.”

“After a year of uncertainty, this is a welcome surprise for me, my students and our school community,” Brown added.

Brown is one of 10 teachers across the country who received the Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award. Recipients were chosen based on a variety of criteria, including their commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within computer science education, a recommendation from a school administrator and compelling, personal anecdotes about their school and students. Scholarship America reviewed applicants and selected the award recipients.

“It has been an especially difficult year for teachers so we are excited to recognize their hard work and commitment to their students’ success,” said Victor Reinoso, global director, Amazon Future Engineer, Amazon in the Community.

“The Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award recipients work diligently to help students in underserved and underrepresented communities build life-changing skills to propel their futures in computer science,” Reinoso said. “We celebrate their tireless efforts to increase access to technology and computer literacy in their classrooms and beyond.”

“Mr. Brown’s dedication to our student body and his tenacity to provide high-quality STEM education to NCA is astounding,” concurred Sharmaine Lewis, NCA school leader.

“We applaud his efforts and are thrilled that he is being honored at such magnitude,” Lewis said. “I look forward to working closely with Mr. Brown to strategize our use of these valuable funds for STEM initiatives across our school.”

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