In the small, rural town of Nenana, Alaska, Emily Snyder is making an enormous impact. A first and second grade teacher at Nenana City School, Snyder’s efforts in the classroom contribute significantly to the high-quality education Nenana students receive on a daily basis. Applying her deep pedagogical knowledge and data-driven, evidence-based instructional strategies, she is skilled at creating engaging lessons tailored to student needs. Also serving as a district reading specialist, Snyder follows scientific-based reading curricula, University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) Foundations of Literacy, and implements a daily reading routine in her classroom. With clear learning intentions and success criteria, her students take ownership of their learning at an early age, understanding their expectations and making real-life connections between the academic concepts and today’s world.
Snyder has a strong growth mindset for herself, her school, and her district through Nenana’s alignment with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching’s (NIET) systems for educator excellence, leadership and professional development. She serves as a teacher leader on her school’s instructional leadership team, guides the district’s outreach efforts for family literacy, and helms Nenana’s elementary-level Response to Intervention (RTI) program. Snyder has attended conferences, such as the Alaska Science of Reading Symposium, and has co-presented at the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant convening. Snyder shares her deep knowledge in technology, UFLI, and data-analysis through mentoring student teachers, modeling lessons for colleagues and participating on the school’s professional learning community committee.
After school, Snyder provides reading help to students in need. She is a fixture in Nenana’s tight-knit community, building strong relationships with students and their families. In addition to her organization of field trips, Snyder coordinates a monthly literacy café event for students and parents.
Snyder earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood (PK-4) and special education (PK-12) in 2014 from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and her Master of Education in literacy from American College of Education in 2021.
Press Release: Alaska Teacher Emily Snyder Recognized Nationally With $25,000 Milken Educator Award
