.jpg)
Britton-Hecla teacher Salina Pena is out of this world—just ask her students and colleagues! Combining her passion for education and space, Pena brings excitement to the classroom, making her a standout educator. That dedication recently earned her the title of 2025 B-H Teacher of the Year.
From Arizona To Space!
Although Pena joined the B-H staff just last year, she has quickly found a home at the school—and in South Dakota. A native of Arizona, she recalls playing school as a child and pretending to travel to space, foreshadowing the two passions that would shape her career.
Her academic journey took her through multiple institutions, including Arizona State, the University of Phoenix, and Adams State. She pursued a degree in K-8 education with endorsements in science, later earning master’s degrees, including one in space studies.
Pena began her career teaching second grade in Phoenix before transitioning to middle school, where she spent five years. Seeking a change, she and her husband Jared—originally from South Dakota—decided to embrace a new adventure in the Midwest.
“We decided to take a risk,” said Pena. “We knew where we wanted to go and made it happen.” The couple purchased a home in Pierpont, and the enthusiastic educator threw her hat in the ring in South Dakota. She would teach at Mike Miller Elementary in Aberdeen and then for three years at Enemy Swim Day School.
Next, Pena took an unconventional break from teaching to pursue another passion—space studies. While completing her master’s degree in the field, she had the incredible opportunity to experience a “mission to Mars”—or at least the next best thing. Pena participated in an analog Mars mission in Utah, a simulated space expedition designed to replicate the challenges of real space travel. While out west, she also conducted research on a particular star, further expanding her knowledge of the cosmos.
Now To Britton
When she returned to Earth, Pena was thrilled to find a teaching opportunity that felt like the perfect fit. “I’d always heard that Britton was a tough place to get into, so I was really excited to get called for an interview,” she said.
Now in her second year at Britton-Hecla, Pena is making her mark. She teaches sixth-grade science and social studies, seventh-grade geography, and eighth-grade space science. At the high school level, she leads classes in technical science and astronomy, bringing her real-world experience into the classroom.
As the newly named Teacher of the Year, Pena reflects on the challenges of the job. She’s grateful that student behavior at B-H has been a positive aspect, but she acknowledges that juggling multiple subjects requires careful planning. Reaching each student in a way that resonates with them is another key focus. “Each student is unique and learns differently,” she emphasized. “Getting to know them better in my second year has really helped.”
What she loves most about teaching, however, is seeing her students light up when they grasp a concept or become fully engaged in learning. “Seeing them succeed is so rewarding,” she noted. Beyond academics, she strives to instill values of respect, appreciation for diversity, and a willingness to help others in her students. She also encourages her students to ask questions and be curious.
Pena’s administration agrees that she has been highly successful in achieving her goals. Middle and high school Principal Carrie James praised her contributions, saying, “Mrs. Pena has been a great addition to our faculty. She is creative, thinks outside the box, and brings a positive energy. The students respond to her really well.”
In fact, it was a student who nominated Pena for the Teacher of the Year award. When she received the honor last week, she was completely surprised.
“I was so elated,” she said. “It made me feel great and really filled my bucket.”
Outside the classroom, Pena cherishes time with her family, which includes her three daughters—Madison, Morgan, and Logan—as well as her young grandson. Together, they enjoy attending SiouxperCon, a convention celebrating science fiction, comics, and all things “geek culture.” She also loves spending time outdoors and, unsurprisingly, gazing at the stars through her telescope. Her passion for space extends beyond teaching, as she collaborates with a research group to capture images of celestial objects and study anomalies.
Pena’s Teacher of the Year recognition comes just in time, as she is preparing for another analog space mission in a couple of weeks. This time, the journey will be a bit closer to home—in North Dakota.
Though she’ll be away from school for a while, there’s no doubt she’ll be thinking of her students—and they’ll be thinking of her.
As last week’s award announcement at school put it best, “She has made her classroom out of this world and loves her students to the moon and back! She has gone above and beyond to bring new curriculum to her students in stellar ways! You are a star in our eyes, Mrs. Pena, and we are so very proud to give you this award!”
