Leah Peavey

Brookhaven, MS | 7-12, Science, 2023

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

STEM professionals are key to ensuring that our country and our world continue to prosper and thrive. Current drop rates and a predicted increase in students that are not prepared for the rigor of STEM college curricula is of great concern to me as a high school instructor. It is my duty to stimulate STEM interest in future generations and prepare my students for what they will face in higher education. Both rigor and relevance are vital in this pursuit.

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

Wow, this is a tough one! Over the past 30 years of teaching various levels of chemistry, math, and polymer science, I have had the pleasure of watching my students grow and pursue both STEM and non-STEM fields with great success. Moments that affirm my impact include handwritten notes, emails, visits, etc. from former students partially atributing career choices, college successes, and career advancements to something we did in class, in lab, or on a field trip. What keeps me going in this profession is the achievements of my students!

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

Since being named a Presidential Awardee, I was honored by my alma mater andspecific program from which I graduated, the University of Southern Mississippi and its School of Polymer Science and Engineering. I used those recognition platforms to inspire others to take on the task of educating future STEM professionals. My school district featured me on a podcast where I discussed the personal benefits of being a STEM educator. I plan to continue using any platforms I am afforded to do the same.

Biography

Leah Ann Peavey is a 30-year educator, the last ten of which have been spent teaching grades 9-12 Polymer Science I & II at Brookhaven Technical Center. Prior, she taught Advanced Placement and Chemistry I & II for 20 years across high schools in Louisiana and Mississippi. Before becoming an educator, Leah Ann spent 11 years in industrial process and product development positions, experiences that fueled a passion for STEM and inform her instruction. As a Career & Technical Education (CTE) teacher, Leah Ann provides rigor and relevance through project and inquiry learning, hands-on experiences, industry tours and activities, live and virtual STEM professional interviews, and statewide competitions. She designs targeted instruction that fosters both content mastery and soft skills development, such as technical writing and presentation building and delivery. Outside of her program, Leah Ann strives to encourage interest in STEM for all ages and backgrounds. She helped organize and served on the panel for a local community college STEM conference and led a summer STEM enrichment camp for fifth graders. She and her students host a STEM discovery day each year for a feeder middle school. Actively involved in statewide curriculum development, Leah Ann also shares best practices with STEM educators at annual Mississippi Association for Career & Technical Education conferences and mentors new teachers. Leah Ann holds a B.S. in polymer science from the University of Southern Mississippi and Master of Science in Teaching from Jackson State University. She is grades 7-12 certified in CTE-Polymer Science, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. Leah Ann is also National Board Certified in CTE/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood-Engineering, Design, and Fabrication.

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.