At the heart of Meridian High School’s community is our new Sustainability Coordinator and Physics and Design teacher, Ms. Tosin Adetoro, who believes education can– and should–shape a better world. Whether in the classroom or around the halls, her dedication to her students and their futures is unmistakable. Ms. Adetoro is eager to support our community in all ways possible.
“I feed on energy, I love to see students walking through the halls,” Ms. Adetoro explained. Because of this, she chose her office to be the former conference room at the center of Meridian. “I want to be visible. I am a resource, I don’t believe that resources should be hidden.”
Chosen as the 2024 FCEF Teacher of the Year, she is passionate about spreading her teaching methods to create a more sustainable school with the larger community. Ms. Adetoro is very active on social media, which awarded her a once in a lifetime opportunity: a flight with the Blue Angels. Through this opportunity, her story was later picked up by CNN. “I am absolutely terrified of things that move fast, and I’m terrified of heights…then I saw the idea of the flight, I thought to myself I have to do this, you can’t turn this down,” she said.
Ms. Adetoro started her career in Falls Church City, and her involvement in the FCCPS school system has shaped its sustainability program. As a former STEAM teacher at Oak Street Elementary, she was ready for a change, and discovered an incredible community here at Meridian.
“I loved the passion [at Oak Street]. This is another level of passion. It’s very exciting to see how a lot of my former students have blossomed into these wonderful members of the community.” She developed a greater appreciation for teachers when she was in high school.
“I was very, very quiet and timid in high school, so just having a trusted adult in the building made me really admire his teaching style,” she said of her former physics teacher.
Ms. Adetoro, above all things, tries to smile. She’s open and friendly with everyone she meets, and wants to be a friendly face in the halls for anyone who may need support.
“I’m really intentional about how I engage with people,” she said. She makes a constant effort to secure her presence.
“Locking eyes with students is very important to me. I’m trying to build that connection where even if you don’t know my name, you know that maybe I’m somebody that you could ask for help.”
Her secret to optimism and persistence is cartoons.
“If I just need to shut my brain off, I watch cartoons and movies. It makes me laugh and takes a lot of stress off my mind, I’m still a child at heart.”
As the new sustainability coordinator, she has become a core member of our community. She defines sustainability as “the integrated pursuit of social equity, environmental integrity and economic security for current and future generations.”
The sustainability program at Meridian has grown significantly throughout the past few years. From new sustainability oriented clubs, initiatives, and teachers, Ms. Adetoro is now the one to talk to about any sustainability related subject.
She offers incredible support and advice. This is largely due to her experience as at many times the only African American girl in her physics and STEM related classes.
“I had to really embrace it, because I loved what I was doing,” she said.“It can feel uncomfortable, and finding ways to embrace that discomfort is really important. This is a time to try different things and put yourself in scenarios that may not feel good, because you have a lot of resources in the building to help shape the way you approach and deal with situations
