By Derrick Smith

Teaching is a career that can be very rewarding. It allows you to share your knowledge and help future generations learn and become better people. Tricia Klopfenstein is in her sixth year of teaching at Stillwater High School, and she says that she loves to teach her students.
“I enjoy being there for my students,” she said. “Being able to watch them grow is really great. I also enjoy working with my coworkers.”

Klopfenstein teaches junior and senior chemistry, AP chemistry, and forensic science. While this is her sixth year at Stillwater, she has been teaching for a total of 16 years. She has also taught at Stillwater Junior High and Wellston High School. She also serves as the sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Key Club.

Working with children is something that Klopfenstein has always wanted to do, but she was not sure in what specific direction she wanted to go. That is until she took a certain class in college. 

“All of my majors in college involved working with kids,” she stated. “But it wasn’t until I had a chemistry professor at Oklahoma State University that I decided to be a chemistry teacher.”

As a high school student, Klopfenstein had some people that made a lifelong impact on her and it has helped her become the teacher that she is.

“I had math and science teachers who were also coaches,” she said. “They helped shape me into a lifelong learner which I still am today. Some of the best advice that anyone has ever given me regarding teaching is that every year is a different year. You have to be ready to go with the changes, whatever they may be.”

Tricia and her husband, Paul, have two daughters. When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies, spending time outdoors, reading, and doing crafts. She is also involved with Girl Scouts for her daughters’ troops.