Christopher Kohnke is an Engineering Teacher at Colbert Elementary Museum Magnet Sprouting STEM School in Hollywood, Florida and has been teaching at Colbert for 22 years.  He graduated from the University At Buffalo, The State University of New York with a B.S. in Communication and received his teaching certificate at D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York.  Math and Science were his favorite subjects in school, but his strict Jesuit schooling did not provide him with the hands-on learning that he needed to succeed.  He described himself as a poor reader in school and can truly relate and empathize with many of his students who are also struggling readers.  Mr. Kohnke is the SECME (Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering, or Science, Engineering, Communications, Mathematics, Enrichment) Coordinator for his school and is a SECME trainer for Broward County.  He uses projects from SECME, Engineering is Elementary, and Engineering Adventures to create the curriculum he uses with his classes.  His teaching philosophy is that of a project based learning model using hands-on activities and projects to foster successful learning opportunities.