Christine Wiggins

A mother of two children, Mrs. Tamara Thomas Jackson, a graduate of Hampton University and Mrs. Tameka Thomas Bowman, a graduate from Virginia Union University. Both of her daughters have successful careers in the world of education. Christine or Mama Chris as many call her is a grandmother of four children all boys. Christine is a veteran educator of 34 years, her very first career was as a Home Economics teacher at Martin Luther King High School, and her last post with the Philadelphia School District was a Teaching and Learning Network Facilitator for the Martin Luther King Cluster. An Olney High School graduate, Christine attended Lea College in Albert Lea, Minnesota and Cheyney University. She has a Masters in Computers and Technology from Beaver College and return to Cheyney University for her principal certificate. Mama Chris is now pursuing her PhD. in Educational Leadership at Drexel University. Her teaching career has given her the opportunity to change the lives of students in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Miami, Florida and have of course, Philadelphia, PA

Christine loves technology and used it as a way to motivate students to use it as a tool. As the computer science teacher at Leeds Middle School, she quickly was recognized as a MASTER TEACHER who shared her expertise with others. Creative and innovative, Christine developed an entrepreneur project for students that assisted them in developing a business plan, presenting it to Meridian Bank, and receiving the funds to open a business. This program got the attention of the State of Pennsylvania, which leads to her being named State Middle School Teacher of the Year.

Christine also was brave enough to willingly take middle school students on three-day trips to Boston, but later changed it to a College Tour because too many students did not consider college an option. The College Tour became an annual event for the King Cluster and three buses of students participated each year. She went on to help co-sponsor the Songhai Empire, at Leeds Middle School. The program has received national recognition for raising achievement, self-esteem, improving behavior and attendance, and reducing serious incidents. Under the leadership of Joseph Foster with Mama Chris at his side the Songhai Empire mathematics and science scores went up 10% and serious incidents (violence, fights, etc.) plummeted by 50% the first year and another 25% the next year. Dr. Edward Robinson and Christine Wiggins set up and ran a summer program of the Private Industry Consul using the Songhai Empire Model. The African Genus Program was equally successful for the more than 400 young people from across the city.

Christine’s presentations to other schools and churches helped others to find her and Freedom Theater received a grant from the Annenberg Foundation for Christine to provide a “Rites of Passage Program for 60 young people. Canaan Baptist Church had her to train their teachers to use an African Centered approach in their after school project. She presents regularly for churches, schools community and the local, State and National level. She is responsible for orchestrating more than 4 million dollars is funds and or services through grants and partnerships for the children of Philadelphia most of which is in the community she was raised in and still lives.

Mama Chris has the unique ability to challenge others to become active in the community. She convinced Beaver College to increase minority student enrollment by providing 10 scholarships a year for students, mentor and tutor them and fund a summer scholars program to guarantee the students had all the support they need. These projects are supported by grants that she wrote with Beaver College from the U. S. Department of Education and the Dollars for Scholars Foundation. Christine is the local president of Umoja Dollars for Scholars Scholarship Foundation.

In 1998, Mama Christine Wiggins founded this cities first African Centered Public High School named Imhotep Institute Charter High. Already her school is a bright star in the community; it is one of the first charter schools in the county to receive the Gear up Grant. This enabled her to set up her first ScholarShop site. Then she went into partnership with two (2) other charter schools that received a 2.4 million dollar 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant for before and after school activities. This enabled her to set up a full ScholarShop college access center for the community at Imhotep as well as fund several other ScholarShop sites at the participating schools. Imhotep Institute has a successful communiversity program, which is funded by a grant to service the community of learners no matter what age.

Mama Chris is proud of all of her students; however, her graduation rate is unheard of in urban school districts. Imhotep has had five graduating classes with 100% graduation and 100% post secondary acceptance. She believes this was due to a school philosophy that believes all children can succeed and that village is global.

Mama Chris has also been honored to become the first African American woman to be given the title of Asafoanye (A Warrior Queen) by the GA people of Ghana. Unlike other cultures, they had never given the honor to a non-continental African borne. She now represents her educational philosophy on an international stage.

Christine has been recognized by several organizations in 2001 National Alliance of Black School Educators honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award. On April 3, 2003, Christine will receive the Frederick D. Patterson Award, which is given to an outstanding educator from The Philadelphia Inter-Alumni Council of United Negro College Fund. This award is presented to an educator who provides vision and leadership that influences the education of young people in our community. The person receiving this award believes and is committed to providing a bright future for young people through the most effective ways that will help them become all that they choose to be.

With all of this, she says that she only wants to be known as a child of God following his plan. She is proud to be a loving wife to Douglas Wiggins her soul mate, a mother, aunt, godmother and friend to hundreds of children who still depend on her love, wisdom and advocacy an a active member of Corinthian Baptist Church,. Of all her accomplishments, titles, and awards, she say’s very humbly that she is on the battlefields for the Lord under his directions.