Elegan Kramer

Saint Louis, MO | 7-12, Science, 2019

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

The curious and inquisitive students in front of me --- I want to harness their curiosity and desire for advocacy into the field of STEM.

What has been the most transformative moment that affirmed your impact on STEM education?

When former students come back to visit and tell me that I influenced their decision to go into the STEM field and/or STEM education.

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

I'm hoping that by enhancing my teachings with opportunities within the STEM federal programs, students will be inspired to go into the STEM field and they learn how to advocate for their interests and passions.

Biography

Elegan is excited to return as a science teacher at Parkway West High for the 25-26 school year, after serving as the Director of Instructional Technology and Digital Literacy at Mary Institute Country Day School (MICDS) in St. Louis, MO for two years. At MICDS, she helped JK-12 teachers design experiences that challenge, engage, and empower students to deeper levels or learning and development of future-ready skills. Prior to that, she was a Distance Learning Developer at Parkway School District for three years. She worked with teachers and district coordinators to develop course materials and activities designed for a virtual experience. She also provided ongoing support to teachers teaching virtually during the 2020-2021 school year. When Elegan received the PAEMST award in 2019, she taught 11th-12th grade Advanced Placement Physics 1 and Principles of Physics at Parkway North High School. She taught all different sciences there for 13 years including astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics, and physical science. Elegan enjoyed incorporating real-world applications in her classes, modeled the process of scientific discovery and engineering in class, and encouraged her students to work collaboratively. Each year she took her students to a local amusement park to participate in experiments and to collect data with sensors on various rides. Previously, she taught eighth-grade science at Columbia Public Schools for one year. Elegan earned a B.S. in secondary education-unified chemistry and an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction as a teaching fellow from the University of Missouri at Columbia. She is certified in physics 9–12, unified chemistry 9–12, and general science 5–9. She also is a National Board Certified Teacher in science/early adolescence.

High-resolution version of the official portrait photograph
Awardee with Dr. Quincy Brown, Senior Policy Advisor at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Dr. Sylvia Butterfield, Acting Assistant Director at the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) within the National Science Foundation (NSF)
High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

The views expressed in awardee profiles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF or the PAEMST program.