Being chosen as the Kentucky recipient of the Presidential Award is a humbling honor. My passion is getting children excited and interested in science at an early age. The PAEMST application process enabled me to take a reflective look at how I teach science to children and how I can do so more effectively. This award will also allow me to network with other professionals from across the United States who share my same passion for teaching science to young kids.

Keri Dowdy Mayfield, KY | K-6, Science, 2008

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

Keri Dowdy has been teaching fourth grade science at Sedalia Elementary School in the Graves County School District since 2005 and has more than 10 years of teaching experience. She serves as the leader for the science department and the Mad Scientist Student Club. Mrs. Dowdy has also served as a student teaching supervisor and resource teacher. Mrs. Dowdy provides daily hands-on science experiments, creates movements that correspond with science vocabulary words, and designs instructional games to capture the attention of her students. Her students are always on task and engaged during her class. She is an exemplary model of a teacher who influences student learning more than any other factor in a child's education. Mrs. Dowdy engages all learning styles in her classroom and makes students excited about learning and discussing why things happen. She opens the world of science to her students in a way that they will never forget and helps students reach their potential. When Mrs. Dowdy is not working directly with students, she is developing new and different hands-on lessons. Her specialty is "thinking outside the box," and she is credited with creating a science laboratory that allows students to experience the world of science through hands-on activities. Described as an excellent educator, Mrs. Dowdy is dedicated to her professional development and has taken a variety of courses on implementing technology in the science classroom. She has completed 24 professional development hours through Kentucky Virtual Campus. Mrs. Dowdy has been recognized for her teaching ability with the November Teacher of the Month award and Sedalia Elementary Teacher of the Year award. Mrs. Dowdy has both a B.S. and an M.A. in elementary education from Murray State University. She is a National Board Certified Middle School Childhood Generalist and is certified to teach gifted and talented students.

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