Teacher Profiles

Sarah Cable teaches gifted education at Seymour Elementary. She is in her third year of Coders. Her students enjoy learning about coding, and using microbits and cutebots. 

Abbi is an experienced educator who has dedicated over 11 years to teaching at Purdy R-II School District. Currently, she ​teaches 7th and 8th grade STEM ​and Freshman English,​ as well as new teacher mentoring, and has a diverse teaching background. Abbi is deeply committed to fostering critical thinking​ and creativity in her students​, while preparing ​them for the future​.​ She has been a part of the CODERS program since its inception, and has contributed ​to the program by ​teaching and mentoring teachers​, as well as speaking on various circuits about the importance of coding in the classroom. 

Heather is the STEAM teacher at Hollister Elementary and Early Childhood Center. She teaches Kindergarten through 5th grade and has been in this position for 5 years now. Before teaching at Hollister she taught preschool in Western Colorado. This is her 3rd year in the CODERS program at MSU. She has a love for teaching students new things in a hands-on way. As a hands-on learner herself she thrives on showing students that learning can be through many outlets. Her favorite coding activity is Computational Thinking with Legos which allows students to work together, as well as, create 3 dimensional figures.

Gara has been teaching math and science for 29 years, bringing passion and experience to the classroom. As an 8th grade science teacher at Mountain Grove Middle School, Gara also serves as the Student Council advisor, Math and Science Club advisor, Encouragement Club advisor, Pep Club supervisor, and After-School Detention supervisor. A four-year Coders participant, Gara values coding’s importance in education.

John is a teacher at Neosho Junior High with 36 years of experience in education. He currently teaches Innovations Courses with a strong emphasis on Design Thinking. As a Missouri State University Coders Mentor and a third-year participant in the grant program, he works to inspire students through creative and technical learning opportunities. He places a strong focus on the writing process of Engineering Notebooks and hands-on Micro:bit projects. Residing in Joplin, Missouri, he is passionate about helping students think critically, design creatively, and develop real-world problem-solving skills.

Holly is the Elementary Techbrarian and Esports Coach for the Hollister School District, where she integrates technology and coding into student learning. She has taught for 15 years, spending 8 years in a third grade classroom before transitioning into her current role. As a 5th year MSU CODERS participant, she helps teachers incorporate coding by gathering and curating resources that align with their lessons. Holly is passionate about fostering creativity, problem-solving, and a love for technology in students.

With over 22 years of experience as a science educator, Brandy brings a passion for discovery and innovation into every classroom. A dedicated and dynamic teacher, Brandy has spent the past five years with CODERS, inspiring students to explore the world of technology through creativity and critical thinking.

Aleth has been a dedicated educator for 18 years, spending the last three as part of CODERS. She is passionate about making coding fun for students, especially through hands-on experiences like drones. Her goal is to inspire creativity and problem-solving in the next generation of innovators.

Jen is a dedicated educator with 16 years of teaching experience, specializing in STEAM education. For the past five years, she has been a CODERS teacher, focusing on coding and engineering. Jen integrates hands-on learning with technology, using Microbits, MakeCode, and Scratch to inspire students in computational thinking and problem-solving. Passionate about innovation in education, she empowers young learners to explore the limitless possibilities of coding and engineering.

Brandon is an Innovations teacher at Neosho Junior High that emphasizes coding, robotics and 3D Design and Printing.  As a 7th and 8th grade teacher he is passionate about having the students learn from tinkering and trying things hands on.  Brandon also serves as a cross country and track and field coach in Neosho.  He has been a teacher for 5 years and has worked in many other career fields.

Renee is a dedicated educator at Ava Middle School and Ava High School, where she teaches 5th-8th grade computer science and high school PLTW courses, including Computer Essentials, Computer Principles, and Cybersecurity. She also serves as the middle school librarian. With 17 years of teaching experience, Renee has been actively involved in the CODER’s Project for four years. She founded an after-school program for her middle school Science Club students, which features an annual showcase that has grown each year, incorporating student projects from both science and computer science classes. 

Carissa is a passionate 5th-grade educator at Purdy R-II School District, specializing in Science, Social Studies, and STEM. With 10 years of teaching experience, she is dedicated to fostering a love of learning and curiosity in her students. Currently in her fourth year as a CODERS program participant, Carissa actively seeks innovative ways to engage students in hands-on learning experiences, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Her favorite thing to teach is Scratch because of how useful it is in all areas.