WhenMichelle Coolicans students began the year with her, she wrote in her Teacher of the Year statement, theyd been expecting to do labs and compete in STEM challenges. Instead, theyveengaged in citizen science projects, raised money for injured turtles, learned how to make VR moviesand informed the community about microplastics hazards.

"I could see the confidence in my young students grow over time. Their creativity and innovative ideas flourished. Throughout the year, my students accomplished and achieved more than I could have imagined."

MICHELLE COOLICAN

As the year progressed, students took ownership of their learning by choosing the projects that were important to them, she wrote. I could see the confidence in my young students grow over time. Their creativity and innovative ideas flourished.

Her favorite accomplishment has been building a STEM program.

When I started teaching the program last year, there wasnt any true direction, she wrote. There wasnt a previous STEM program, there was a new administration and there was no budget. So, I wrote multiple grants to get funding to implement projects that encouraged students to collaborate and solve problems.

Last year, Coolican was awarded more than $10,000 in grants, allowing her to bring students to tour the Whitney Lab Sea Turtle Hospital and visit University of Florida and the Museum of Natural History.

Students held a Turtle Night at Chick-fil-A, sending proceeds to the Sea Turtle Hospital, and created PSAs about microplastics.

Coolican has created an after-school garden club, shared 4H resources with students and workedwith UFsInstitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to give supplemental lessons and bring in guest speakers.

More than 50 of her students earned cybersecurity certification.

This year, she is partnering withMarineland, the 4H Embryology program and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to participate inSeaPerch, an underwater robotics program, and will be adding a butterfly garden, an educational arcade and an adopt a wetland program.

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Buddy Taylor Middle School Teacher of the Year: Michelle Coolican - Palm Coast Observer