Our future will need creative, passionate, scientifically literate thinkers. As a teacher, I am honored to play a role in nurturing curiosity, inquiry, and joy in my students as they develop into the leaders of tomorrow. The Presidential Award recognizes the importance of teachers' work and is a significant reminder that our country values science education that provokes and inspires students to excel.  

Kim Parfitt Cheyenne, WY | 7-12, Science, 2013

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

Kim Parfitt has been an educator for 12 years and for the past seven years, has taught at Cheyenne Central High School. Currently, she teaches AP Biology and Honors Biology to freshmen, juniors, and seniors. Previously, Kim taught at Johnson Junior High.  Kim is committed to teaching science as a verb and has created many opportunities for her students to experience authentic science through unique partnerships with science professionals. Her students have investigated the genetics of aspen groves in the Medicine Bow National Forest with regard to changing climate, experienced inquiry related to advances in nanotechnology, and designed 3D molecular models of proteins. Joy, wonder, story, and struggle are the tenets of her classroom. Kim is a past recipient of the Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Award and is a Fund for Teacher Fellow. She is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biointeractive Teacher Ambassador and also a lab classroom host for professional development in the district. She was the team lead for the NASA Explorer School at Johnson Junior High. She is published in Transformative Talk: Cognitive Coaches Share Their Stories. Kim has a B.A. in communications from Michigan State University and a M.S. in natural resources from The Ohio State University. She is certified in secondary biology and earth science.  She is National Board Certified in adolescent and young adult science – biology.

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