As a Diné (Navajo) woman growing up with no running water or electricity on the reservation in the Southwest, Jessica Dennis has a wealth of experience which has prepared her to work with students in limited access areas. She is an Environmental Scientist with an extensive background in research and overwhelming passion for education. Currently, Jessica is teaching Biology and Physical Science at Washington High School, located in Parkland, WA. Some of her aspirations in K-12 education include increasing representation for BIPOC communities, encouraging youth/young women to seek careers in STEM, and increasing education access for English as Second Language (ESL) learners. She is continuously seeking out creative and safe solutions for meeting students where they are; those experiencing homelessness, have high ACE scores, or come from a DV household. Ms. Dennis’ hope is that by teaching in STEM— combined with community reinforcement— we can protect and restore the environment, preserve ecosystems, clean water, and lower negative environmental impacts. She believes these goals are not only obtainable, but that we can advance even beyond these measures through honest efforts in community outreach, advocacy, and preserving Indigenous knowledge through language restoration. As an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, Jessica is currently working on developing educational curriculums in partnership with local Washington Tribes.