Deana Sain Named Tennessee Rural Education Association Teacher of the Year
Hardeman County K-8 S.T.E.M. Coordinator Deana Sain has been named the 2025 Tennessee Rural Education Association (TREA) – Teacher of the Year. It is a well-deserved award for Ms. Sain, who has been an educator for almost 30 years, and continues to teach and inspire area students in S.T.E.M. education.
Ms. Sain was one of 60 nominees considered for the Tennessee Rural Education Association Teacher recognition. It is no surprise to the community of Hardeman County Ms. Sain was chosen as the recipient this year by the TREA committee. Along with the recognition, Ms. Sain will receive a $500 prize and complimentary registration and travel to the National Rural Education Association conference. Ms. Sain will represent Tennessee at the conference, which will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah in October.
Ms. Sain has received other personal recognition and grants for her work at the center. Some of those include being named Tennessee Science Teachers Association (TSTA) Teacher of the Year (2023) and receiving a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) grant (2025). Ms. Sain is also a graduate of the WestTeach Program (2022).
Since taking over the Hardeman County Schools S.T.E.M. Center, Ms. Sain has introduced thousands of county students to S.T.E.M. education and the career opportunities in those fields. Ms. Sain has been diligent in securing several grants for the Learning Center to expand the offerings available to the large number of Hardeman County kindergarten through eighth grade students, who regularly visit throughout the school year.
“We are fortunate to have Mrs. Sain’s expertise, experience, and passion for STEM education, driving our efforts to create innovative, hands-on learning opportunities. Her leadership in experiential learning not only enriches and elevates what happens in our classrooms but also expands access and impact—especially in rural education, where such opportunities can be truly transformative,” said Hardeman County Director of Schools Dr. Christy Smith in a recent Facebook post.
Congratulations to Ms. Deana Sain, who continues to make a positive impact on the students in Hardeman County, Tennessee.
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