Chanda Jefferson

Overview

Chanda Jefferson is the 2020 Teacher of the Year in South Carolina. A native of Beech Island, S.C., she has taught for almost a decade in public schools across the state. When selected Teacher of the Year, she was teaching biology and serving as the chairman of the Science Department at Fairfield Central High School in Winnsboro.

Chanda has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in teaching secondary science from the University of South Carolina. She also has a master’s in education from Columbia University.

Chanda has been selected for the Princeton University Molecular Biology Institute, the NASA Airborne Research Experience for Educators and the Siemens Teachers as Researchers Institute at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She also received a grant to attend the Amazon Educator Academy and conducted research in the rainforest. She has served as a network partner for the National Human Genome Research Institute.