Brittany Lewis

Brittany Lewis, an HISD education technology specialist, has been named a 2015 emerging leader by the International Society for Technology in Education.

Lewis’ colleague, Elvira Salazar, nominated her for the award, which honors educators 35 years or younger who demonstrate vision, innovation, action, and transformation using technology to improve learning and teaching.

Lewis began working in HISD in 2007 as an AVID tutor at Westbury High School. She went on to teach seventh-grade math at Revere and Pershing middle schools before moving into instructional technology.

“My former principal at Pershing Middle School inspired me to explore technology in my classroom by encouraging me to allow students to use cellphones in class for their work,” Lewis said. “That day, I realized I liked the idea of technology in the classroom and the students were more engaged. Following that day, I used every opportunity to incorporate technology into my classroom practice and decided to obtain a masters in curriculum and instruction with a technology focus.”

Lewis has worked as an education technologist for two years. Her projects include the first two phases of the PowerUp laptop distribution, the Hub Helpers video series, and a rubric to rate the safety, privacy, and security of apps that teachers often use in classrooms.

“It is obvious that Brittany wants to create a school system where every child gets the education to build a life full of opportunities, no matter what their background,” said Beatriz Arnillas, director of educational technology. “She always volunteers to work the toughest schools. She wants to be the designated instructional technologist in the schools where others would give up.”