Susan Koppendrayer

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher to equip students to develop knowledge that instills a sense of wonder, critical thinking skills and a deep understanding of our natural world. I want graduates of my classrooms to be change agents and leaders who can make a difference in their communities.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Many of my former students site The science fair as the moment they realized they had the ability to become a scientist. I am a strong advocate of the ISEF science and engineering fair. As a middle school science teacher, the science fair gave students the opportunity to think and act like scientists! Students gained research, STEM, and presentation skills. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to help students see the importance of science to make a difference in the lives of others.

What would you do with the $25,000?

25 thousand dollars would help me create an interactive, immersive, educational experience on an organic farm. I want children to have hands-on agricultural experiences that help them understand food production (seed to table), impact of climate change on food production, and food insecurity in inner cities. In addition I want to create curriculum for teachers to apply what students are learning to real life farm issues.