I am elated and humbled to be considered for the Presidential Award in recognition of my passion for teaching science. My path here was paved by the encouragement of my family, students, and fellow educators who have supported my vision for hands-on science instruction. I am most excited about the extensive content knowledge that I will gain through networking with other educators across the nation. I look forward to sharing what I have learned with my students and fellow teachers.

Stefani Farris Shreveport, LA | K-6, Science, 2016

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

Stefani Farris has been an educator for 24 years and currently teaches Science Lab to kindergarten through fifth grade students at Fairfield Elementary Magnet. During her 15 years at Fairfield, Stefani has also taught first grade, as well as fifth grade science and social studies. Previously, she taught first grade at North Highland Elementary and St. Mark’s Cathedral School. Stefani shares her love of science by creating hands-on activities for her students. Working in teams, students collaborate on engaging tasks that range from building model roller coasters to examining live crawfish. Stefani’s approach as a facilitator has made the science lab a safe place for students to explore all areas of science and to make valuable connections to other content areas. Stefani has presented at the school, parish, and state levels in the areas of science, social studies, and technology. A passionate believer in supporting fellow educators, Stefani works with local universities to train future teachers. Stefani has served twice as a Louisiana Teacher Leader and is presently working with a local science task force to help teachers transition to the new Louisiana Student Science Standards. Stefani holds a B.A. in speech and hearing pathology and a M.Ed. from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. She is certified in first through eighth grade elementary education.

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