Susan McLaughlin-Jones, a science teacher at Lafayette High School (Fayette County), has received the 2016 Copper Black Award for Creative Achievement from the Mensa Foundation.

The Mensa Foundation judges were impressed with McLaughlin-Jones’ development of Culturally Engaging Instruction (CEI) – a successful teaching strategy to address pervasive achievement gaps among students from diverse backgrounds. CEI, a model that emerged from McLaughlin-Jones’ 2012 dissertation, uses subtle cultural cues to improve student engagement. Field tested in her classroom and around the school district, CEI has produced anecdotal, qualitative and quantitative results.

McLaughlin-Jones, who received $500, has taught in Fayette County since 1996 and at Lafayette since 2000. She is the youth coordinator for Bluegrass Mensa, a local chapter of Mensa International.