ALTUS, OK – Rachel Randall has been named AFA Chapter 342 Teacher of the Year (9-12). Randall is a Biology instructor at Western Oklahoma State College in Altus and teaches General Biology to high school students through a unique partnership with Southwest Technology Center (SWTC) in the Biomedical Science program.

Randall also teaches a wide variety of biological science courses, including General Biology, Biology I and II, Botany, Zoology, and Medical Terminology, to both concurrent and traditional college students. Randall has a great deal of experience outside the classroom, which includes working for the USDA, in the oil and gas industry, and as a laboratory technician. All these experiences strengthen her teaching and allow her to provide a wide variety of applied learning experiences in her classroom.

“I think I bring my outside-world experience to the classroom and the lab. Only a few students learn from sitting through a lecture. I believe it requires hands-on experience and real-world applications,” said Randall.