Science teacher Carolyn Kielma has been selected Connecticut’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, and she. has been named one of five finalists for National Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: University of New Haven

I always enjoy casting a spotlight on outstanding educators who have been recognized for their work in the classroom. Today we celebrate Carolyn Kielma, a science teacher from Bristol, Connecticut. She has been named her state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, and she has also been named one of five finalists for National Teacher of the Year.

Carolyn inaugurated her career as a science educator at West Haven High School, where she taught for five years. She currently teaches at Bristol Eastern High School, where she has worked for the past 15 years. She teaches courses in biology, anatomy and physiology, environmental science, and biotechnology and technology. She is also the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) coordinator on her campus. In this role, the honored educator works hard to close the achievement gap by providing opportunities that prepare all students for college readiness and success in a global society.

In addition to these professional responsibilities, Carolyn coordinates STEMonday, a monthly science, technology, engineering and mathematics challenge which connects and builds relationships between elementary and high school students. Furthermore, in 2020 Carolyn garnered a grant from Fund for Teachers to study wolves, bears, and elk at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center and in Yellowstone National Park. Then she prepares virtual lessons to share what she has learned with her urban students. And as if all this were not enough, she provides professional development for fellow educators in her district, and she travels nationwide to train teachers in engagement strategies that promote equity and inclusion.

Carolyn says she has always known she would become a teacher. “This was the career I was born to do,” she declares. “I love to be able to help young people realize their worth, discover their strengths and weaknesses, and become better humans,” she continues. “What is most meaningful to me is the connections I am able to make with my students that reach far beyond the classroom walls. I get to help make better humans who can contribute in a positive way to our society. I get to see them grow and develop throughout their high school career and long after,” she concludes.

Carolyn earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania in 1998. She earned her Master’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of New Haven in Connecticut in 2002.

To read more about Carolyn Kielma, see this article about her published by the University of New Haven.