Benjamin Davis
District 8 Director - Benjamin Davis
Biographical Information
Ben Davis is a science teacher at Robbinsville High School, where he has taught a variety of science courses for the past twelve years. Prior to his time at RHS, he taught seventh-grade science at Robbinsville Middle School. A 2000 graduate of Robbinsville High School, he returned to Robbinsville in 2007 after earning a bachelor of science degree in microbiology and a master's degree in microbial biotechnology from NC State University. He is a National Board Certified teacher in adolescent and young adult sciences. He was chosen as the 2023 Graham County Schools Teacher of the Year, before being selected as a finalist for the 2023 Western Region Teacher of the Year. For five years, Mr. Davis led an afterschool program funded by a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Student STEM Enrichment (SSEP) grant. The program, called SciGirls, focused on increasing STEM-related career and college awareness, skills, and experiences for girls in grades 6-8. This program allows a typically underserved student population to experience a variety of STEM activities, field trips, and mentoring. Mr. Davis is a 2023 recipient of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award in STEM Teaching (CAST) award. In the first year of CAST Award implementation, Mr. Davis used the funds to upgrade an outdoor classroom space on the campus of Robbinsville Elementary and teach an environmental science enrichment class for fourth-grade students, based on the Project WILD curriculum. Other funds were used to purchase needed lab equipment for teachers around the district, fund student field trips and competitions, and cover travel expenses for a variety of professional development activities. His favorite professional development activity was attending Space Camp for Educators with two other CAST Awardees in the summer of 2024. Mr. Davis lives in Robbinsville with his wife Amber, who is the counselor at Robbinsville Elementary, and his two daughters, Charlotte and Cora.
Mission Statement
As a science teacher, my goal is to raise science-literate students who can successfully navigate life in this digital age. They should be able to question misinformation, identify disinformation, and understand enough about the world to be able to separate fact from fiction. They should be curious about the world and have a goal of lifelong learning. At the end of the day, I want to produce students who have a connection between the learning done in the classroom and the learning that will take place in the world outside the school's walls.
