6th Grade Center – Tina Fridrich, STEM    

STEM teacher Tina Fridrich has been named the 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year for the Sixth Grade.

“I didn’t always want to become a teacher,” Fridrich said.  “My original life plan was to become an orthodontist.  After some soul searching, I changed my major and it just ‘clicked. I feel like this is what I am called to do.  I truly feel like I have the opportunity to lead by example, that my attitude is contagious, and positive perspectives and hope can be fostered in my classroom.  My kids may not always love my course content, but hopefully they learn, and most importantly they know that I love them.”\

This year, of course, COVID-19 and masks present new challenges.

“I am teaching five sections of in-person, one section of virtual, and distance learning for all our quarantine kids!  Due to Covid, a lot of my hands-on activities have had to become interactive demonstrations,” she said. “That breaks my heart.  Even through the differences, I am trying my best to still make sure that I build relationships with my kiddos. Whether it be through the masks or the computer screen, I want them to know that I see them and value them.”

Fridrich has been teaching at Union for some time, first from 1999-2002, and then from 2011 until now.

She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Oklahoma Baptist University with middle school endorsements in science and language arts.