Elementary school mathematics teacher Stephanie Gullage garnered a prestigious PAEMST in 2020. Photo credit: 4WWLTV
Many exceptional educators have earned recognition for their work. One of these is Stephanie Gullage, an elementary school teacher from Luling, Louisiana, who has garnered a prestigious 2020 PAEMST award.
The PAEMST, Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, recognize the dedication, hard work, and importance that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, innovators, space explorers, and engineers. The PAEMST program, founded in 1983, is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The honor comes with a $10,000 cash prize.
Stephanie’s career as an educator has spanned 29 years. During that time, she has taught many subjects, primarily mathematics. For 11 years, she taught numerous subjects at Marrero Christian Academy. She taught sixth grade reading and mathematics for one year at McDonogh 32 Elementary School. She instructed courses in basic mathematics for one summer as an adjunct professor at Delgado Community College. She also taught Gifted/Academy English Language Arts and mathematics for 17 years at R.K. Smith Middle School.
While employed at Smith Middle, Stephanie completed stints as the Chair of the Mathematics Department, the Improving Student Learning cadre, and the School Improvement Team. In fact, she was teaching Gifted/Academy Mathematics at the time she garnered her PAEMST. In July 2020, Stephanie accepted a position as the Instructional Facilitator for Gifted, Talented, and the Arts for St. Charles Parish Schools, but still taught gifted enrichment in grades one, two, five, and Algebra 1 eLearning.
For her work in the classroom, Stephanie has earned many accolades. She was named the District Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2018, and in 2019, she was named an American Petroleum Institute Distinguished Teacher. Stephanie has also presented at the Louisiana Association of Teachers of Mathematics and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) conventions and participated in the “Digital Tools and Mathematical Modelling in Mathematics” Institute at the University of Würzburg in Germany.
Stephanie earned her Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in Elementary Education from Southern University in New Orleans. She earned her Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Gifted and Talented from the University of New Orleans. She is currently working on her Ph.D. She has also earned her National Board Certification in Early Adolescence Mathematics.
