HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-03-29 Jean Lythcott
IN MEMORY AND RECOGNITION OF DR. JEAN LYTHCOTT
WHEREAS, Dr. Jean Lythcott, a distinguished educator, scientist, and civic leader, passed away in Palo Alto on
March 1, 2025, at the age of 86; and
WHEREAS, born Jean Snookes on January 30, 1939, in the coal-mining village of Ryhill, Yorkshire, England,
she displayed early academic promise, becoming Head Girl at Hemsworth Grammar School and the first in her family
to attend college, earning honors in Botany and Chemistry from Manchester University in 1960; and
WHEREAS, her career as an educator spanned continents, beginning in Ghana, where she taught math and
science to young women at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and where she met and married Dr. George I. Lythcott, a
public health leader and smallpox eradication specialist; and
WHEREAS, after moving to the United States, she became a dedicated citizen, engaging in civic processes and
voting in every election, while continuing to educate and inspire students as a teacher and administrator, later earning
her Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1987. Dr. Lythcott influenced the field
of education as a faculty member at Columbia University’s Teachers College, where she mentored future science
educators and spent summers teaching Peace Corps volunteers across Africa and Polynesia; and
WHEREAS, after the passing of her husband, she co-founded the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School,
pioneering a consensus-based decision-making model that remains in place today, before moving to Palo Alto in 1999
to support her family. As a Lecturer at Stanford University’s Teacher Education Program (STEP), she shaped the next
generation of science educators, and in 2009 was honored as the inaugural Geballe Family Clinical Associate for
Science Education; and
WHEREAS, as a devoted member of the League of Women Voters of Palo Alto, her passionate efforts in voter
registration and civic engagement inspired local youth to register and participate in elections in record numbers; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Jean Lythcott’s unwavering commitment to education, equity, and democracy left a profound
impact on students, educators, and the Palo Alto community.
NOW, THEREFORE I, Ed Lauing, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto, do hereby recognize and celebrate the
extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Jean Lythcott, whose dedication to knowledge, justice, and civic responsibility
will continue to inspire future generations.
Presented: March 29, 2025
______________________________ Ed Lauing Mayor
Proclamation