This award is an incredible honor, and it is humbling to be among such outstanding professionals. It is exciting to see such a high-profile award recognizing teaching and learning. I am a lifelong learner and am inspired by the curiosity and excitement I see in my students and the love of learning I get to share with them. I am grateful for the students and colleagues who have helped me develop as a teacher and excited for partnerships and continued learning opportunities with fellow educators.

Andrea Hayden Laramie, WY | K-6, Science, 2022

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Andrea Hayden, a teacher of 23 years, has been teaching at Spring Creek Elementary School for 20 years. She currently teaches in the district gifted and talented program, working with students in grades three through five. She also taught at Hobbs Elementary School, Slade Elementary School, and Indian Paintbrush Elementary School, each for one year. Andrea’s classroom is a place where students’ curiosity, creativity, and collaboration are driving forces. She strives to make science meaningful and engaging for her students using student-led inquiry, integration with other content areas, place-based studies, and connections with guest speakers and professionals in the field. Andrea is an avid learner and constantly seeks out professional development to extend her learning, improve her teaching practice, and enhance learning opportunities for her students. She has enriched her professional development profile through participation in the Exploratorium’s Fundamentals of Inquiry workshop, place-based science instruction through Teton Science Schools, the Mikkelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy for mathematics and science, and numerous workshops on STEM integration and instruction aligned with the three dimensions of the NGSS. Andrea has a B.A. in elementary education and an M.A. in curriculum instruction from the University of Wyoming. She is currently finishing a doctorate in curriculum studies. She is a National Board Certified Middle Childhood Generalist.

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