Sultan science teacher’s work earns national recognition

SULTAN — A science teacher here is receiving national recognition for her work in the classroom.

Karissa Kelley started teaching biology and chemistry at Sultan High School two years ago. Now, she’s being honored with the 2015 award for new teachers by the National Science Teacher Association.

“It’s fantastic,” Superintendent Dan Chaplik said. “It speaks to the great work she and all of our staff do every day.”

As this year’s honoree, Kelley is set to attend the association’s annual conference in Chicago next month. She will take courses to sharpen her skill in the classroom and gather ideas to bring back to Sultan.

“Beg, borrow and steal is kind of our motto in teaching,” she said.

Kelley aims to keep her students motivated in the classroom by teaching them scientific lessons through working in the lab. “When they get their hands on and get involved, those abstract concepts start to make a lot more sense,” she said.

Kelley often takes students to nearby Osprey Park, where they measure pH levels, oxygen, temperature and the depth of the Skykomish River. They also get to work in the salmon hatchery on campus in Kelley’s biology class.

“I don’t think I’d want to take it from any other teacher,” said Haleigh Dilday, a junior in biology. “Having a teacher who cares is really important to me.”

She said appreciates that Kelley takes time to work with students individually.

Dilday, 17, said biology was one of the toughest subjects for her. But Kelley’s lab activities have made learning the concepts much easier.

“I like having the visual and the hands-on experience instead of just looking at a paper,” Dilday said.

Monica Chavez is a senior in Kelley’s chemistry class. She said students painted panels on a wall in Kelley’s classroom to represent the periodic table. They researched the elements, brought in examples of them and made presentations to the class. Chavez was assigned helium so she used a balloon for her demonstration.

Chavez, 17, credits Kelley, who has two young children at home, for staying two hours after school every week to help her pass the tests needed to graduate.

“I used to be that person who didn’t like science,” Chavez said. “But now I’d like to take it further.”

Chavez said she hopes to become an attorney. She plans to study forensic science to aid her work in the legal field. She’s taking Kelley’s forensics chemistry class in which students work to solve a murder mystery.

“It’s like real life,” Principal Tami Nesting said. “We have this clue and that clue so how do we use science to solve it?”

It is lessons like these that help Kelley share her passion for science with her students, Nesting said.

At the upcoming conference, Kelley hopes to gather ideas for using gardens to teach genetics. Until this year, the greenhouse at Sultan High had not been used for classes in a long time. Kelley plans to expand the course offerings in the greenhouse with what she learns in Chicago.

Kelley grew up in Palouse in Eastern Washington. She earned her master’s degree at nearby Washington State University in Pullman. She decided to become a teacher after volunteering at a Boys &Girls Club and tutoring students.

“I really enjoyed teaching and helping students,” she said. “I’m obsessed with science so I decided to combine both passions.”

Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Alex Hanson looks over sections of the Herald and sets the ink on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Black Press, publisher of Everett’s Daily Herald, is sold

The new owners include two Canadian private investment firms and a media company based in the southern United States.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.