Kara is an Educator, Curiosity Cultivator, & Neurodiversity Advocate
Kara Ball is an award-winning educator, author, and self-described cultivator of curiosity. Her work sits at the intersection of inclusive STEM education, neurodiversity, and early learning experiences, with a focus on helping students see themselves as capable thinkers, makers, and problem-solvers. She brings experience from K–12 classrooms, higher education, and national education initiatives to everything she does.
Kara Ball Recognized with Bezos Courage & Civility Award
Accolades
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![Snow-covered mountain range under a clear blue sky with some clouds.]()
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![Black and white portrait of a woman with wavy blonde hair, wearing a dark jacket, looking to the side with her chin resting on her hand.]()
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![Three people standing together at a professional event, smiling for a photo. The woman in the middle is wearing a black and white floral dress with a yellow flower on her left shoulder. The woman on the left is dressed in a black and white floral top and black pants with yellow shoes. The man on the right is dressed in a light blue checked shirt, dark pants, and a blue tie.]()
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![Woman in red blazer holding a glass apple trophy, smiling, with a blue-green wall in background.]()
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![A woman standing behind a wooden podium with the Department of Defense emblem, in front of a dark curtain and an American flag, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.]()
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![A woman sitting on a blue school chair in a classroom with a pegboard wall of tools behind her, including hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, and safety equipment, in front of a blue bulletin board with educational posters.]()
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![A woman standing in front of a wall with a "Dudson University" sign, wearing a dark green dress, holding a woven clutch, with long wavy blonde hair and black heels.]()
2018
Twenty Tigers in the Twenties, Towson University
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![A woman with blonde hair in a black and white striped sleeveless top standing in a classroom, smiling, holding a green ruler, next to colorful academic banners on the wall that read 'Innovate,' 'Explore,' and 'Inspire.']()
2013
Montgomery County Public Schools’ Shirley J. Lowire Award recipient
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![Certificate of academic excellence awarded to Kara A. Ball from Montgomery College Rockville Campus, May 18, 2005, signed by program official and vice president.]()
2005
Most Outstanding Teacher Candidate, Montgomery College
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![A young girl smiling and holding a small toy truck indoors, with a birdcage in the background.]()
1997
Pinewood Derby Winner
A Different Way of Learning
(Her Story)
Kara Ball has always wanted to be a teacher—even when school didn’t seem to want her there. Diagnosed with dyslexia and dyscalculia, she loved learning but often struggled to belong. Outside the classroom, she found confidence through hands-on STEM experiences, running a pretend school in her basement, and learning by building, where her neurodiverse brain was a strength. Those early experiences shaped her commitment to inclusive STEM education and creating spaces where every learner belongs.
Hear From Kara
“STEM education is so important for shaping the next generation of inventors and innovators - especially for those who learn and think differently.”
Current Work
Adjunct Professor
Academic Officer
Expert
Kara in the News
