Shelley Hawkins

With a freshly minted National Board Certification, Shelley is proud to have spent the last 26 years in the classroom. Raised by a single mom in Southern California, she now teaches health steps away from the Orange County coast, where the region’s mix of cultures, faiths, and languages shape her lessons on mental wellness and substance abuse prevention. Shelley advises Friday Night Live, a program focused on building positive and healthy habits, coordinates her school district’s tobacco‑use education and prevention work, and is in doctorate in educational leadership—all while cheering on three children ages 23, 18, and 16. Her mantra: Equip students with the knowledge and resilience to thrive long after graduation. As a Bezos Educator Scholar, Shelley is excited to grow alongside her student Scholar and bring new research‑backed strategies to the classroom.