Dorothy Holley
Dorothy Holley
Fellowship Placement: United States House of Representatives
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Dr. Dorothy Holley (Raleigh, NC) teaches both Chemistry and Physical Science at West Johnston High School. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Wake Forest University, a Master of Science in Environmental Education from Montreat College, and, more recently, a Doctor of Philosophy in Learning and Teaching in STEM from North Carolina State University. With more than 25 years as a classroom teacher, Dorothy’s experiences include project-based learning, standards-based grading, curriculum integration, remote/hybrid instruction, science club engagement, and the small school model. Partnering with higher education to better understand and advance K-12 Science Education, Dorothy’s graduate studies focused on classroom experiences – Block Scheduling, Teacher Perceptions of Cell Phone Policy, Constructivist Teaching, and Action Research using Environmental Education as a Lens to Teach Physical Science. Her master’s thesis research examined the relationship between locus of control, performance in earth/environmental science class, and responsible environmental behavior. Her doctoral dissertation research explored mid and late career high school science teacher retention. Dorothy has led professional development sessions and presented papers with the National Science Teaching Association, North Carolina Science Teachers’ Association, American Chemical Society, Environmental Educators of North Carolina, Bridging the Gap STEM Education Conference,Association for Science Teacher Education, American Educational Research Association, and National Association for Research in Science Teaching. She is an active member of the North Carolina Science Education Leadership Association, a 2022 Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership, and a 2023 regional representative of the American Association of Chemistry Teachers. She is a 2017 and 2023 ‘Flame for Learning’ semifinalist, Johnston County’s Teacher of the Year Award. Nurtured and encouraged by her childhood learning communities, Dorothy has been inspired to help others develop their science literacy and pursue STEM careers. She strongly supports North Carolina public schools and the important work teachers are doing to provide authentic leaning experiences.
