Every year, the Kentucky Department of Education selects ten teachers from the Commonwealth to be Innovative Teacher Fellowship members. A library media specialist from Rowan County is among those chosen for the 2025-2026 school year.
Jessica Stepp, who works at Clearfield Elementary School, has worked in education for almost a decade. She believes Kentucky students would benefit from vibrant learning experiences, also called project-based learning. She said she wants to use this fellowship as an opportunity to share her perspective with other educators.
“This is something I’m very passionate about, providing those authentic learning experiences for our students. So, I hope that, through this process, I’ll be able to collaborate with other teachers and inspire them to change the learning process and the experience for our students, not just in our school, but in the entire state of Kentucky,” said Stepp.
Education officials said vibrant learning experiences are personalized to honor students’ cultural wealth, gifts, and interests.
Stepp said project-based learning is beneficial to students because it fosters career and life readiness. She said this type of education creates proficient communication and collaboration skills.
Stepp specializes in reading intervention. She said it’s important that children read for fun, not just for class assignments.
Included in the Innovative Teacher Fellowship is the chance to collaborate with nine other Kentucky educators to create a project that will be integrated into each teacher’s school district. Stepp said she wants the project to enhance the reading culture at her school and give older students the opportunity to take charge.
“I’m looking at ideas like a student-led book club, that maybe they could meet after school, and giving some opportunities to my fourth- and fifth-grade students to really take ownership and leadership of that, to kind of mentor some of our younger students as well,” said Stepp.
Stepp said she believes Kentucky students of all ages could benefit from a school environment that fosters a love of reading.