STEM & STEAM LAB

--1992: Graduated from Susan Moore High School
--1996: BS in Forensic Science/Criminal Justice from Jacksonville State University
--2005:MS in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University
--2018: Achieved National Board Certification

My name is Jennifer Priest and I am the STEAM/STEM teacher for SMES and SMHS. I am also the SMES Student Council sponsor. I had the honor of being named the 2018-19 Elementary Teacher of the Year for Blount County and in 2016, I was chosen as the Elementary Science Teacher of the Year by the Alabama Science Teacher's Association. In 2018, I achieved my National Board Certification. I've had the privilege of teaching STEM lessons to elementary students for the past 5 years. Currently, I am the facilitator for our awesome Smart Lab where students in grades 5-8 participate in STEAM activities.

I have been married to my high-school sweetheart for almost 25 years. For years after we married, we traveled around the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic while my husband played professional baseball. We have a son, Evan (19), who attends Snead State pursuing a degree in computer science. We also have a daughter, Rylee (18), who recently graduated from high school.

You can follow me on social media such as:
SMES Facebook Page
Twitter: @smbulldogbytes
Instagram: jenniferpriest

“Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.”
– Roger Lewin

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.”
Clay P. Bedford