| yvonne watterson |
Yvonne Watterson was born and raised in Northern Ireland. She graduated from Queen’s
University of Belfast with an honors degree in English and Education. She began her career
as an English teacher in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and like so many Irish people, she was
drawn to the dream of America.
She arrived in the United States in 1987, where she eventually found work as a substitute
teacher in the Madison School District. Eager to learn all she could about K-12 education,
she held a variety of teaching positions at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary
levels. She has served in the Washington, Madison, Paradise Valley, and Roosevelt school
districts and has served as an adjunct English instructor for Mesa and Glendale Community
Colleges. She has also served as an adjunct professor for University of Phoenix and
Western International University.
Yvonne has spent the last decade working in charter schools, and is currently the principal
of the Early College High School at GateWay Community College. Since she arrived at
GateWay, the school’s attendance rate has risen from 50% to 94% and the drop out rate
has fallen from 30% to 4%. Recognized for her leadership by the Department of Education
Director’s Institute, she received the 2005 Leadership award. Her early college program
has been recognized by the State Board for Charter Schools as an example of the positive
impact of charter schools in Arizona.
Active in the community, Yvonne was instrumental in bringing Girls for a Change to Phoenix
and serves on the Advisory Board. Her advocacy efforts now focus on supporting
undocumented children who are in this country through no fault of their own. Since
September 2007, she has raised $86,000 in private donations to support the cost of out-of-
state tuition for the undocumented children at her school. Most recently, Yvonne received
the 2008 MLK Living the Dream award from the City of Phoenix for her advocacy for
undocumented children.
She compiled and edited Documented Dreams.
University of Belfast with an honors degree in English and Education. She began her career
as an English teacher in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and like so many Irish people, she was
drawn to the dream of America.
She arrived in the United States in 1987, where she eventually found work as a substitute
teacher in the Madison School District. Eager to learn all she could about K-12 education,
she held a variety of teaching positions at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary
levels. She has served in the Washington, Madison, Paradise Valley, and Roosevelt school
districts and has served as an adjunct English instructor for Mesa and Glendale Community
Colleges. She has also served as an adjunct professor for University of Phoenix and
Western International University.
Yvonne has spent the last decade working in charter schools, and is currently the principal
of the Early College High School at GateWay Community College. Since she arrived at
GateWay, the school’s attendance rate has risen from 50% to 94% and the drop out rate
has fallen from 30% to 4%. Recognized for her leadership by the Department of Education
Director’s Institute, she received the 2005 Leadership award. Her early college program
has been recognized by the State Board for Charter Schools as an example of the positive
impact of charter schools in Arizona.
Active in the community, Yvonne was instrumental in bringing Girls for a Change to Phoenix
and serves on the Advisory Board. Her advocacy efforts now focus on supporting
undocumented children who are in this country through no fault of their own. Since
September 2007, she has raised $86,000 in private donations to support the cost of out-of-
state tuition for the undocumented children at her school. Most recently, Yvonne received
the 2008 MLK Living the Dream award from the City of Phoenix for her advocacy for
undocumented children.
She compiled and edited Documented Dreams.
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