Hello! My name is Amber Rivera, and I am a third-grade math and science teacher at Neidig Elementary in Elgin ISD. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Texas A&M University- Central Texas in May and this coming school year will be my FIRST year teaching. I am passionate about math and science and love the idea of being involved in and creating exciting, hands-on learning experiences for myself and my students. I believe that even elementary students can be challenged to ask and test questions in science, and it is my goal to make the little time we have for science during the school day as meaningful as possible with many opportunities for exploration. My wife, Isabella, and I have been together for 9 years. We have two dogs named Vladimir and Bubbles, and a guinea pig named Kiwi... they bring us so much happiness and keep us very, very busy. I love to spend time with my family, travel to new places, and watch true-crime documentaries. I am always looking to have fun and learn new things! I am so excited to be a part of the RET program this summer and so grateful for the learning opportunity this is giving me as a new teacher. I look forward to learning more about STEM and how I can best give my students authentic, hands-on experiences in the classroom.