People of The Pearl meets STEM educator Jalavender Clowney
When educator Jalavender Clowney first visited The Pearl in summer 2024, she wore a hard hat and safety vest as the steel and concrete structure was still being built. Today, she’s in the same space at the new K-12 STEM Lab, introducing students to the creative outlets and potential careers available to them.
Clowney is a middle school STEM educator and science department chair at Saluda Trail STEAM Middle School in Rock Hill, S.C., the same city in which she grew up and still resides. One of the greatest gifts she’s giving back to her own community is helping young students connect their learning to future careers to make real-world impact.
It’s why she also became a volunteer K-12 Pearl Innovation Ambassador Teacher. Her typical day at The Pearl’s STEM Lab includes teaching science, collaborating with community and educational partners, mentoring students, and creating engaging learning experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity and career exploration in the STEM fields.
“Students are exposed to things to which they would not have had the opportunity in their traditional classroom settings,” Clowney says. “That innovation of being able to become a designer, to be an engineer, to use those skills at such an early age, and experience those pathways so that they learn what’s available for them as they matriculate through their studies and decide on the career path they’d like to take.”
The creativity and projects are limitless at the STEM Lab, which is in a temporary space until later this summer, when its larger, permanent home opens down the hall at The Pearl. Clowney has helped lead students – or gave them a hand – in projects such as building a robotic skeleton hand using cardboard and wires, and prototyping designs or ideas for protective sports helmets.
To Clowney, the STEM lab is one of her favorite spaces at The Pearl, where “all the magic happens.”
“It’s an innovative space filled with creativity, collaboration and hands-on learning, where exciting ideas are constantly being brought to life,” Clowney says. “One of the things I enjoy most about The Pearl is the collaborative atmosphere and the opportunity to connect with passionate educators, professionals, and students who are all working together to inspire and empower the next generation.”
The STEM Lab is overseen by Richard Cox, Ph.D., MEd, MA, a former public school teacher who serves as The Pearl’s director of districts education and innovation partnerships, and general operations. He lauds Clowney’s beaming personality and dedication to enriching students’ lives through this meaningful work.
“Teachers do so much of the quiet, daily work that shapes young people’s sense of possibility and Jalavender represents the very best of that work and what’s possible through our projects at The Pearl,” Cox says. “She’s brought such energy, creativity, warmth and authenticity into this partnership. She understands students deeply, shows up to everything with real joy, and helps make The Pearl feel connected to the teachers and young people this work is meant to serve.”
As this school year wraps up, Clowney is looking forward to all that’s ahead for The Pearl and its new STEM Lab.
What excites Clowney most about The Pearl is the ecosystem’s commitment to creating transformative opportunities for students and the community through STEM, innovation and partnerships. It all fuels her passion for why she became an educator in the first place.
“I’m very much appreciative of all that The Pearl has provided for me and look forward to the future, exposing more students to STEM by bringing them into The Pearl,” Clowney says.
