Last year, Kimberly Hyatt could be found working in Suzie Wallace’s science class as a student teacher. Now, she is a proper first-year teacher of the Radford Science department, teaching both Physical Science and Biology.

Hyatt hopes to inspire the next generation to love science. “It is applicable to their lives, even if they don’t realize it,” she explained. “Even students who are not interested in pursuing science as a career should understand concepts that impact their lives, such as how genetics can play a role in disease, how an invasive species can impact an entire ecosystem, or how using a longer lever can make lifting a very heavy object easier. If students love science, then I believe they will understand more about the world and their role in it.”

Initially, she was asked by the school to be a long-term substitute teacher, but after being interviewed, her spot as a science teacher for Radford became official.

She hopes to teach Radford Students “some cross-disciplinary skills, and to do their homework.” Hyatt described how science is a unique subject because it requires students to use literacy and math skills to collect and analyze data and then communicate their findings to others in a way that is understandable.

She explained, “I want students to practice both literacy and math skills because those skills will make them better thinkers in and out of my classroom. I want what they learn from me to go beyond science concepts and into real-world application.”

Hyatt was born in Oceanside, California. Since her dad was in the military, she moved to many different places. Her high school years were spent in Oregon City but she eventually moved back to Hawaii the day after Christmas in 2020. In April of last year, she graduated from Western Governors University, with a secondary degree in biological science.

“I like teaching in Hawai’i, specifically at Radford, because there is a diverse student population with unique and fascinating life experiences. It’s interesting to see how diversity of thoughts, opinions, and experiences can positively impact the culture of the school,” said Hyatt.

In her free time, she enjoys writing and volunteering with the Humane Society, fostering kittens. As a long-term goal for the future, Hyatt hopes to open a publishing company and create fantasy novels. In the meantime, however, she remains a beloved science teacher at Radford.