Forrest McKinnis — Richland, Washington Teacher & Educator
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Teacher Forrest McKinnis
Forrest McKinnis
Forrest McKinnis
Forrest McKinnis is a secondary teacher in Richland, Washington, serving students at River’s Edge High School in the Richland School District. His work focuses on student re-engagement, Career and Technical Education, project-based learning, educational technology, and career and life readiness.
Recognition
Recognition
2026 NCCE Innovative Educator of the Year
Northwest Council for Computer Education2012 WALA Secondary Educator of the Year
Washington Association for Learning Alternatives
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
Students should have opportunities to make, design, solve, create, present, and reflect.
I design learning experiences that connect academic standards to authentic projects and real-world problems.
Students in my classes may find themselves:
Creating a marketing campaign
Building a professional portfolio
Designing digital media
Developing financial plans
Exploring careers
Photographing their community
Building websites
Creating products for real audiences
Reflecting on their growth
The question I continually ask is:
“Why would this matter to a student outside of this classroom?”
CAREER & LIFE READINESS
CAREER & LIFE READINESS
School should help students prepare for more than the next assignment.
My courses intentionally connect classroom learning to the skills students need after graduation.
Students Develop Skills In:
Students Develop Skills In:
Career Exploration
Identifying strengths, interests, careers, and postsecondary pathways.
Financial Literacy
Budgeting, credit, debt, income, saving, and financial decision-making.
Employability
Résumés, cover letters, interviewing, communication, professionalism, and workplace expectations.
Digital Skills
Canva, Adobe tools, web design, digital portfolios, photography, media creation, and emerging technology.
THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
Structured enough to feel safe.
Structured enough to feel safe.
Flexible enough to meet students where they are.
Flexible enough to meet students where they are.
Students deserve to know what to expect when they enter a classroom.
Predictable routines, clear instructions, visual supports, examples, checklists, and consistent expectations allow students to spend less energy figuring out the system and more energy learning.
My classrooms regularly include:
LEARN
LEARN
Short, accessible instruction that gives students the knowledge they need.
CREATE
CREATE
Students apply their learning through meaningful projects.
CONNECT
CONNECT
Students talk, collaborate, receive feedback, and connect learning to the real world.
REFLECT
REFLECT
Students identify what they learned, what challenged them, and what they will do next.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT
RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT
River’s Edge High School
River’s Edge High School
Secondary Educator
My work at River’s Edge focuses heavily on students who benefit from flexible, personalized, and nontraditional approaches to education.
Areas of Experience
Areas of Experience
Contract Learning / Alternative Learning
Health & Physical Education
Career & Technical Education
Business & Marketing
Careers & Financial Literacy
Project-Based Learning
Credit Recovery
Graduation Pathways
Digital Media
Educational Technology
What This Work Looks Like
What This Work Looks Like
I design learning environments in which students have meaningful choices while still receiving the structure necessary to succeed.
That means balancing:
Flexibility + Accountability
Relationships + Expectations
Student Choice + Clear Outcomes
Technology + Human Connection
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