LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Monique Cola was nominated by her colleague, Erica Durousseau.

An amazing leader. A reliable colleague. A transformational spirit. These are just a few short phrases that describe Dr. Cola and help to put a life of education, leadership, and experience into perspective. As the Head of School for New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School (Sci High), Dr. Cola has taken the school and the students to new levels. She has provided opportunities for teachers and students to grow and excel, and she creates life-changing opportunities that permeate the lives of those individuals and their extended families.

As a product of the New Orleans public school system, Dr. Cola's roots connect directly to the students and families she serves at Sci High. In a city where educational opportunities are linked to expensive private schools, and access is usually only granted to students who excel the most, Dr. Cola made her way through a public school system that was not designed for every student to succeed. As Head of School at Sci High, she now leads a team of staff and a body of students who have unprecedented access to a state-of-the-art facility built by donors and supporters. The Sci High community also has access to a STEM-supported curriculum that will catapult all who apply themselves to the top percentile of students entering college and apprenticeship programs after graduation. Over 90 percent of the students served come from low-income households and underserved communities, once written off as problem populations. Her inspiration reaches the depths of neighborhoods and families who did not think college was an option.

Under her leadership, students at Sci High can now actively participate in planning their own futures and author their own stories of success by choosing their desired pathways, and accessing resources provided to them year-round through coursework, elective classes, paid summer internships, and summer programs that prepare them for their chosen fields of interests. For those who do not intend to enroll in college, there are multiple options for apprenticeship programs and opportunities to earn workforce certifications that qualify them for in-demand jobs after they graduate. It is not a small feat, yet, Dr. Cola has taken on all obstacles and setbacks in stride. She uses them as stepping stones to build a more robust, cohesive public school system in New Orleans, starting with the most vulnerable populations.

Sci High also faces different challenges compared to other STEM-based schools in New Orleans and throughout the 13-parish region. While most schools with the same resources and learning styles only accept students with the highest test scores and grades leading into high school, Sci High is an open-enrollment school, welcoming all students as long as classroom spots are available. And, with a growing Latinx population doubling in size from the 2021 school year, Dr. Cola has been instrumental in identifying and capturing resources that support LEAP/ACT/SAT testing and provide ELS reinforcements so that the learning field is an equal opportunity environment. Her leadership has led to consistent and competitive test scores among schools across the city regardless of the backgrounds of students, and Sci High has been ranked a top 10 school in New Orleans under her leadership.

After the facility's construction in 2020, Dr. Cola led the school out of one of its most significant challenges – COVID-19. With a curriculum that heavily relies on interaction, physical movement, and hands-on activities, she quickly adjusted, providing solid leadership and support to the Sci High instructional staff to assist them with the daunting task of online teaching. Her weekly rallies and one-on-one meet-ups with department leads, teachers, and key staff members created an "all hands on deck" atmosphere. Individuals were personally motivated to fulfill the mission of Sci High, following her lead and dedicating time outside of office hours towards the success of every single student. Dr. Cola now works closely with the school's foundation to ensure every teacher feels valued and connected. Through her guidance, the foundation has produced several grant proposals and captured funds to support teacher retention, sign-on bonuses, and stipends for teacher certification tests.

A neuroscientist by trade, Dr. Cola used her love for research and education to pivot into the academic sector, joining the Sci High staff as Head of School in 2018. She has dedicated her career to motivating students and developing the next generation of scientists. Leaning on her own history, Dr. Cola has become a role model for underrepresented populations and a stellar example for African American girls who are interested in science and need guidance and support in finding their calling. On any given day, you can find her in the labs and Makerspace areas of Sci High, interacting with instructors and students and infusing her own knowledge gained throughout the years into the curriculum.

"Her presence at Sci High has proven to be a defining moment for the Nautili Family, as we lead young minds into the next phases of their lives and provide transformational educational opportunities that will change the future for them and their families. Dr. Cola is our hero," said Durousseau.