NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (January 20, 2026) — Animalearn, a national humane science education program, has selected Jefferson Elementary School teacher Aimee Ferguson as an Honorable Mention for its 2025 Humane Science Educator of the Year.
As part of the award, Ms. Ferguson will receive a variety of non-animal teaching resources, valued at $750, that she will use with her Jefferson Elementary School students.
Ferguson said, “Animals play an important role in education by helping us understand the natural world. Learning about them with respect through platforms like Animalearn builds curiosity and strengthens our connection to nature.”
Animalearn is a national humane science education program that serves as the educational division of the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS). Established in 1990, it works to end the harmful use of animals in science education by promoting and providing alternatives.
Animalearn’s 2025 Humane Science Educator of the Year awards recognized one top winner and six honorable mentions for promoting compassionate, non-animal-based science education in classrooms.
These seven educators were honored for advancing humane alternatives in science teaching, with resources provided through Animalearn’s The Science Bank lending library.
Top Winner (Humane Science Educator of the Year):
- Stacey Frankenstein-Markon, science teacher at Oshkosh North High School in Oshkosh, WI.
Honorable Mentions
- Caroline Combemale, technology education teacher at Ryan Gloyer Middle School in Harmony, PA.
- Christine King, science teacher at New Century Technology High School in Huntsville, AL.
- Caitlin Hayes, middle school science teacher at St. John the Apostle Catholic School in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Alma Princess Rivera, middle and high school science teacher at CVV Academy in Apopka, FL.
- E. Christine DeCaro, science teacher at West Orange High School in West Orange, NJ.
Animalearn helps educators, students, and others access humane, non-animal teaching resources to teach and learn science without harming animals. It operates The Science Bank, described as the leading free lending library of humane science products in the United States, offering hundreds of high-quality, animal-friendly hands-on teaching tools that have served thousands of teachers and students since 1996.
The program’s mission focuses on building awareness about animal use in classrooms, nurturing respect for all creatures, and advocating for innovative non-animal methods in science education.
Its official website is animalearn.orghttp://animalearn.org.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.