Science teacher Katie Strait of Portland, Maine, earns recognition for her work with young people. Photo credit: Maine Department of Education

I am always pleased to share the story of an exceptional teacher who has earned recognition for their work with young people. Today, I share the story of Katie Strait, a high school teacher who was named a 2024 County Teacher of the Year for the county of Cumberland, Maine.

Katie teaches at the Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, a public charter school located in Portland, Maine. The school offers courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for students in grades nine through twelve. Katie teaches courses in biology and marine biology.

Katie was raised in upstate New York. When she graduated from high school, she moved to Maine to attend the University of New England. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Marine Science. Then she enrolled at the University of New Hampshire where she earned a Master’s degree in Zoology with a focus in Aquaculture. Most of her professional career has been in the science industry – from R&D in a clinical chemistry lab to becoming a manager at Bangs Island Mussels.

Once she earned her degrees, Katie took a job in a clinical chemistry lab and worked for a while as a manager at Bangs Island Mussels. But it was a long-term substitute position at Sanford Middle School that caused her to realize she wanted to pursue a career in education. She taught at Sanford for five years and then, in 2021, she accepted the position at Baxter Academy.

In her classroom, Katie is well-known for her hands-on, real-world teaching style and her focus on relationship-building. She organizes regular field trips for her students to explore the nearby tide pools and marine ecosystems, and often organizes beach clean-ups, and then she asks her students to create art work with what they find during these clean-ups.