Regina Hawkins – 9th-12th Grade Special Education, Transition, Civics, Vocational Training, and Community-Based Instruction at Southside Occupational Academy High School – Chicago, IL
Hello! This is my 9th year at CPS (15 years in Special Education total). I am a Special Education Teacher and I serve students with disabilities 17-22. I teach civics/horticulture/community-based instruction. I’ve been teaching horticulture in some form every year. This past year, my students and I implemented a food waste service learning project in order to reduce our food waste at school and provide additional food to students in need. I have been gardening since birth with my Grandmother who also taught me how to can (preserve) produce and, of course, cook. I do believe that food and food access is a social justice issue and can also be a catalyst for change. During the summers, I lead a teen group working on an urban farm through After School Matters.
I attended Mother McAuley High School, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for my Bachelor’s in Community Health, and Lewis University for my Master’s in Special Education.
I enjoy cooking and I mastered a lot of recipes during quarantine. I also enjoy gardening, my cats (I have 2, but feed 4 more in my backyard), being outside, traveling, and recreational reading.