[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 220 (Monday, December 28, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1209-E1210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING KACIA CAIN AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 28, 2020

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise before the House to recognize Kacia 
Cain, an Iowan who has dedicated her life to teaching students about 
the importance of STEM. Kacia has devoted her life to encouraging 
Iowans to participate and foster a love and appreciation for STEM. She 
has inspired, motivated and provided a platform for so many students 
and individuals in Iowa to cultivate their appreciation for the 
sciences. That is why I want to honor Kacia as Iowan of the Week for 
the week of December 25th.
  Kacia grew up in Ames, Iowa before she graduated from Iowa State 
University, and then moved on to get her master's degree in biology 
from Northwestern State in Louisiana. Kacia had always been interested 
in science and biology and worked as a veterinary assistant. While she 
was in grad school, however, she was able to teach as a part of an 
assistantship program. She claims she fell promptly in love with 
teaching and made the decision to get certified and come back to Iowa 
to teach. Kacia is currently a teacher at Winterset High School, but 
previously was teaching students from all five high schools at Des 
Moines Central Campus.
  As a science teacher, her goal in the classroom has been to introduce 
her students to a varied group of subjects, such as anatomy, 
physiology, genetics, and microbiology. An important aspect to Kacia's 
curriculum is to use more than the resources that can be accessed in a 
classroom. Kacia and her students were able to learn from various 
people within the community. Pre-COVID-19, they were able to take trips 
and bring in individuals to allow a perspective of what STEM can look 
like in the real world. They traveled to colleges so that students 
could better visualize themselves as a college STEM student and see and 
understand the components of what a future in the sciences could look 
like.
  One of Kacia's favorite parts of being a teacher is being able to 
take a difficult concept and bring it to a level that students can 
better comprehend. The ability to see and understand a concept that she 
helped morphed into a lesson that the student can take with them even 
after the year is over is not only rewarding for Kacia, but it also 
simply helps the sciences and opens the idea of STEM for more students.

[[Page E1210]]

  Her role as a STEM teacher landed her a spot on the STEM Council and 
Executive Committee in September 2013 where she has since served on the 
Business Engagement Committee that built the ``Guidelines for 
School+Business Partnerships in STEM'' and contributed to the STEM 
Council's Seal of Approval. She has also since been honored as STEM MVP 
and received the Iowa STEM Teacher Award.
  Now a teacher at Winterset High School, Kacia's goal remains the 
same. She wishes to work hard to ensure that all Iowans can access the 
same opportunities, materials, and resources that are available 
everywhere, whether you be in an urban or a rural setting.
  Kacia said she has always believed that STEM is about building 
partnerships through links beyond school walls and is excited to be a 
part of a group in a state that puts that idea at the forefront. Kacia 
is an example of how dedicated, selfless, and incredible hard work 
teachers and Iowans are. I cannot thank Kacia Cain enough for all she's 
done to help the young people of our community, and I couldn't be 
happier to name her as Iowan of the Week.

                          ____________________