Mr. Stedman has taught over twenty years at St. Louis High School, but Stedman still puts as much time and energy into his job as he did his first year.

Kevin Stedman is the current physical science teacher for SLHS. He primarily teaches freshmen, who are people not known for their enthusiasm. According to Stedman himself, “Seeing young people mature and go on to do awesome things with their lives is by far my favorite part.” Though he used to be the math teacher, he still likes both subjects equally; “I am hard-pressed to choose between the two since I see both subjects as very much intertwined together.  You can’t have one without the other.”

Stedman added, “My initial career goal when I started college was to become an electrical engineer. I did well in the program but liked what I was doing less and less as time went forward.  I began to reflect on what I did enjoy and realized that I wanted to do something with math and/or science. I remembered some of my teachers who influenced me in a positive way and began to contemplate teaching. Shortly thereafter,  I returned back to my high school and walked past a math classroom. It hit me that in just two short years, that teacher could be me. It was exciting! What a fantastic opportunity!”

It isn’t all good though. According to Stedman, his least favorite parts to teaching are, “Watching students waste their opportunities to move forward and find success, whatever that may look like for them. Success means different things to different people. What I do know is, getting a good education will open many doors of opportunity for students that work hard.”

Though the times aren’t always good, Stedman makes it a point to stay focused on what he loves to do: teach.

Stedman also coaches Science Olympiad, a program in which kids compete in competitions related to science. According to Stedman, “It’s really similar to my favorite moment in the classroom.  Science Olympiad is a very challenging, competitive event, but it can also be a lot of fun. When team members learn from their mistakes and work through adversity to find some level of success, I get excited for them because I know that this experience sets them up for success throughout their life.”

Additionally, Stedman is a family man. He gets his inspiration from his father. He shared, “My dad lived a very selfless life.  He was not at all concerned about himself. Instead, he served his family and others who needed a hand.” Stedman continued, “My wife, Elizabeth, is a chiropractor who has been serving our community since 1992. My oldest is Zachary. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a double major in German and Psychology. My oldest daughter, Rachael, graduated from Calvin College and is currently finishing her second year to earn a doctorate in Clinical Psychology.  My youngest daughter, Katie, studied to become a phlebotomist and is serving patients at a nearby hospital.”

Stedman has studied at four different universities and holds three degrees:  Associates degree from Scott Community College in Iowa; Bachelor of Science in Education from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Arts degree from Central Michigan University. Despite all his time spent educating and being educated, Stedman also has personal time. He also enjoys keeping up with current events, coaching football, watching football, hunting, traveling, reading, and playing with his dog Cooper.