Congratulations to Candice Leonard, a fifth-grade teacher at Ashford Park Elementary School! She is the winner of Orkin’s Start with Science™ Classroom Contest via Facebook.

As the winner, Candice will receive $5,000 in DonorsChoose.org funds to help bring her STEM classroom projects to life. Thanks to the help of her DCSD team, she garnered enough likes on Facebook to win the grand prize.

According to Orkin’s page on Facebook, she will purchase classroom materials and help low-income students fund science fair projects.

“Science education matters to me because science is, for a lack of better wording, EVERYTHING. Science education empowers young minds to explore and think about the world around them. The earlier students are exposed to quality science education, the earlier they begin to consider the impact we as humans make on the world, be it earth, life and/or physical sciences. Science teaches students it’s okay to fail. These are essential life skills.”

Congratulations again to Candice and Ashford Park Elementary!