Millcreek Junior High teacher Katy Wilson has been named Utah Middle School Science Teacher of the Year.

Wilson, a Viewmont High School graduate now in her 11th year at the Bountiful school, teaches ninth-grade Earth science and one section of seventh-grade science. The statewide award recognizes her personalized approach to helping students engage with scientific concepts while building critical thinking skills, according to Davis School District.

"It is a tremendous honor," Wilson said. "I love what I do, and I love working with junior high students."

Wilson's roots in the district run deep. After graduating from Viewmont, she earned a degree in biological science secondary education from Utah State University and a master's degree in reading instruction. She has taught seventh-grade science, Earth science and high school biology across four schools: Alta High School, South Davis Junior High, Central Davis Junior High and Millcreek Junior High.

She originally planned to teach high school. Working with younger students changed her mind.

Wilson said seventh graders "are curious and open to learning," while ninth graders "are beginning to focus on what they want to do in the future. They have those basic school skills, so we can really focus on the content, science skills and deeper learning."

Her personalized learning model has gained traction in her Earth science classes, where students engage with concepts at their own pace. Wilson said the approach "has really taken off" with her ninth graders.

Beyond science, Wilson taught an Enriched Reading course at Millcreek where students explored fiction and nonfiction through book clubs, read-alouds and lessons shaped by student interests. Her master's in reading instruction informed that work.

Wilson has spent more than two decades total in the classroom. She is one of roughly 673 students' primary science teacher at Millcreek Junior High, where she starts each school year the same way she started her career: focused on making science relevant to the students in front of her.