Hello

Jeffries Epps, is the CEO/Founder of the STEMERALD City Learning
Center. Mr. Epps has worked in public education for 27 years, serving in
various Information Technology leadership roles. As an IT leader, he has
participated on several leadership committees and Advisory Boards
throughout the country. He believes that STEM learning has to be
sustained throughout a student’s K-20 experience for it to truly be
effective. Mr. Epps received the White House Champions of Change
Award for Tech Inclusion in 2013 for his work as the co-founder of the
Globally Ready Engineering and Technology (G.R.E.AT.) Academy and
exposing students in grades 3-12 to emerging technologies such as
coding, 3D modeling, 3D printing and electronics. He has continued to
establish STEM learning academies at colleges, universities and after
school programs. He is committed to ensuring that all students and
students in underrepresented areas are exposed to STEM learning
opportunities.

Mr. Epps’ unique approach to teaching STEM focuses on raising student
achievement in the classroom and providing students with verifiable hours
of exposure to emerging technologies and the engineering process. On
average, his students see double digit growth between standardized
assessments. Also, his students graduate from high school with no less
than 128 verifiable hours of exposure.

Currently through his non-profit, The Clay Pit, Mr. Epps focuses on
improving the conditions in the environments where people are born, live,
learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health,
functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.