Elementary school science teacher Lisa Tripp was honored by the Maine Department of Education during their Love Teaching Week program. Photo Credit: Maine Department of Education

The state of Maine has brought back its Love Teaching Week program through which they celebrate educators who have left a lasting impact on the lives of their students. The program, which takes place around Valentine’s Day every year, is a national campaign started by educators in 2015. One teacher they have honored this year is Lisa Tripp, an elementary school teacher from York County.

Lisa teaches science to sixth graders at Bonny Eagle Middle School in Buxton. “I teach because the future of the world is in my classroom today,” Lisa says. “I get to help connect my students to their community and beyond as they find ways to make it a better place for all,” she continues. “They come up with new ideas and creative and wonderful views on the world that they see around them, and it just fills my heart with so much hope for a beautiful and amazing future,” she adds.

Lisa says she not only appreciates the beauty of her home state, but she uses it to teach lessons to her students.  “We’re given the opportunity to take our students outside and share that joy of nature with them,” Lisa declares. “We have an opportunity to share with them why Maine is such an incredibly diverse beautiful natural wonder.” She has also been involved in an effort to attract more teachers to relocate to Maine and apply for jobs in public schools there.

Lisa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Liberal Arts from the University of Maine. In addition to her recognition during Love Teaching Week, Lisa was named the York County Teacher of the Year in 2023.