Donniell Cooke was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (the forth of five children). After 9 years of private school education, she attended George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Science where she graduated after three years. Donniell continued her education at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, where she graduated after 3.5 years with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. After leaving Hampton, Donniell returned to Philadelphia so that she could attend graduate school at Drexel University, where she earned her teaching certificate. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree, at Drexel, in the Science of Instruction.

Donniell currently teaches at the Charter High School for Architecture & Design (CHAD) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is one who loves to get involved and therefore wears many hats in the CHAD community. She is not only the Science Department Chairperson, she is also the ninth grade biology teacher, the CHAD Scholars National Honor Society adviser and one of the two junior class activities advisers. Seven of her nine years of teaching have been done at CHAD. She has enjoyed every adventurous day.

In her spare time, Donniell enjoys working out, biking, hiking, cooking (especially baking), and spending time with her family. She also loves to travel to unique places around the world with her husband of four years, Kent Cooke, who is an insurance broker and certified diver. She aspires to one day overcome her innate fear of drowning and learn to scuba dive along with her husband.

Jennifer L. Hillemann entered Drexel University’s Master’s program in the Science of Instruction with Biology certification in June 2007 and anticipates graduation in June 2009. Prior to enrolling in the program, Jennifer graduated Magna Cum Laude from Drexel University with a B.S. Biological Sciences in March 2006 and at the top of her class at Pennsbury Senior High School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 2003.

Throughout her undergraduate career, Jennifer participated in research with well-respected institutions including the United States Department of Agriculture, Drexel University and Merck. Though Jennifer learned and experienced a lot working in the field of research, it is her current position teaching laboratory courses for the Department of Bioscience & Biotechnology at Drexel University that she really loves. She looks forward to teaching a high school biology class of her own someday.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys running, dancing, hiking, drawing, and playing lacrosse and other competitive sports. Most of all, she enjoys spending quality time with friends and family in the great outdoors.

Lindsey Meckley is a Graduate Student in Drexel University’s M.S. in the Science of Instruction program, concentrating in Biology.  She earned her BS in Biology from Messiah College in 2002, after which she was a Program Specialist for a Human Services organization.  After starting her family, Lindsey returned to school to pursue her Masters and Certification to teach Biology.  She is slated to finish this endeavor December 2008.

Lindsey’s love of science was born in her childhood on an Iowa farm.  In her spare time, Lindsey enjoys training for Multi-sport and Adventure Races, teaching Peace-making classes to 4^th-6^th graders at her church, taking pottery classes, and making music on a wide variety of obscure instruments.