Tag Archives: STEM teachers

TX teacher Lori Garrett earns prestigious 2022 PAEMST Award

Posted on by

Texas elementary school teacher Lori Garrett has earned a prestigious 2022 PAEMST Award. Photo Credit: Moore County Journal

It is always a pleasure for me to share stories about exceptional educators who have earned recognition for their work. One of these is Lori Garrett, an elementary school teacher from Texas who has garnered a prestigious 2022 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.

Lori’s career as an educator spans ten years, all of which she has spent at Cactus Elementary School in the Dumas Independent School District in Cactus, Texas. She taught one year in kindergarten and two years of fourth grade math and science. For seven years, she has been developing and teaching a pilot program that provides science pull-out for pre-kindergarten to fourth grade students, and a pull-out enrichment program for kindergarten to fourth grade students. The enrichment program features agricultural and project-based learning opportunities. She has also been working on expanding the school’s Maker Room STREAMS curriculum to include not only STEM goals, but also reading, art, and social studies objectives.

As if all this were not enough, Lori and her students have incorporated produce grown in their classroom garden into food packages which are delivered through a community outreach program. The recipients are enthusiastic about receiving fresh produce instead of relying entirely on canned and packaged goods, explains Lori. For this work, she has twice earned a White-Reinhardt Mini-Grant from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

In addition to her PAEMST Award and her White-Reinhardt Mini-Grant, Lori was honored as her District’s Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2021. She also garnered the Ag in the Classroom Teacher Award from the Texas Farm Bureau’s  in 2017.

Lori earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology and a Third Mate License in the Merchant Marines, both from Texas A&M University at Galveston.

Elem school teacher Julie Fry of Washington garners prestigious PAEMST award

Posted on by

Elementary school teacher Julie Fry of Washington state has garnered a prestigious PAEMST award. Photo Credit: Yakima Herald Republic

It is always a pleasure to share stories about exceptional educators who have garnered honors for their work. One of these is Julie Fry, an elementary school teacher from Washington state who has garnered a prestigious 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.

Julie teaches first grade at Roosevelt Elementary School in Yakima, Washington. In all, her career there has spanned 26 years. In fact, she was raised in Yakima and attended the school when she was a child.

The honored educator has a deep passion for hands-on science instruction in the primary classroom. Her curriculum emphasizes guiding students to ask questions about phenomena they observe in their environment, and she organizes hands-on activities to help them build knowledge. Julie says she wants her students to never be afraid to ask questions, even if their initial thoughts on a subject turn out to be wrong. In her classroom, she declares, the motto is “no blame, no shame,” when it comes to learning.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Julie serves as a consultant for primary science professional development sessions, participated in state leadership groups such as Leadership Alliance for Science and Education Reform, and serves as a trainer for teachers in the region in developing first grade science curriculum.

Julie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education and her Master’s degree in Reading from Central Washington University. She is certified as a K-12 reading specialist; is National Board Certified; and was a PAEMST State Finalist in 2016 and 2018. In 2020, she won the local Crystal Apple educational award.

New York STEM teacher Kimberly Lau garners 2022 Sloan Award

Posted on by

New York City teacher Kimberly Lau has garnered a 2022 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science & Math. Photo credit: The Midwood Argus

I always enjoy sharing stories about excellent educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Kimberly Lau, a STEM teacher from New York. She has been named a recipient of the 2022 Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science & Math.

The Sloan Awards recognize the exceptional work of educators in New York City public high schools. The awards cast a spotlight on educators who achieve superb results while inspiring youth to excel in science and mathematics and pursue careers in related fields. Kimberly is one of seven New York educators who have been honored this year.

Kimberly teaches Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, Ocean Science, and Culinary Science courses at Midwood High School. Midwood is a public high school located on the campus of Brooklyn College. The school partners with the college to offer courses in Advanced Placement in three main programs: Medical Science, Humanities, and Liberal Arts.

It just so happens that Midwood is Kimberly’s high school alma mater. After seeing the dedication of her teachers when she was in school, she knew she wanted to follow in their footsteps. After her graduation from college, she substituted at Midwood, and in 2013 she was offered a permanent position teaching chemistry.

Kimberly is well-liked and highly-respected among her students. “I learned a great deal about science in the classes I took with Ms. Lau,” expresses former Midwood student Alyssa Kattan. “But she also taught me so much more, including how to aim high.” Student Faith Matthew agrees. “When we make a mistake, Mrs. Lau doesn’t correct us in a way that’s discouraging,” Faith declares. “She does it in a way that makes us want to do better next time. So every time I’m in one of her classes, I always see a linear increase of how well I do because she makes me want to try harder,” Faith continues.

In addition to her selection for a Sloan Award, Kimberly also garnered the Sidney Millman Award in 2021. Since 2017, she has also served as a Master Teacher for Math for America.

 

CT teacher Lori Durocher earns prestigious PAEMST honors

Posted on by

Kindergarten teacher Lori Durocher from West Hartford, Connecticut, has earned a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Photo Credit: we-ha.com

Many excellent classroom teachers are working diligently to train students in skills they will need to succeed in the 21st century. One of these is Lori Durocher, an elementary school teacher from West Hartford, Connecticut. She is so good at her job that she earned a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

Lori has spent the last 26 years teaching in a full-inclusion kindergarten program at Norfeldt Elementary School in West Hartford. Before joining the staff at Norfeldt, she taught for five years at Bethany Community School in Bethany, Connecticut. In all, her career as an educator has spanned 31 years.

In the classroom, Lori works to incorporate science and engineering applications into all areas of the curriculum. In this way, students see themselves as scientists and engineers, not only during “science time,” but also throughout the entire instructional day. She specializes in developing innovative science adventures that appeal to young children and opportunities through which students work collaboratively to theorize, construct, and test hypotheses. In addition to her classroom instruction, Lori is an active member of the Faculty Advisory Committee and the Technology Committee. She also presents at early childhood education forums and mentors early childhood student teachers.

For her work as an educator, Lori has garnered West Hartford Foundation Grant Awards, not just once, but six times. Four of those occasions she received the award for science. She also serves her district as a Seesaw ambassador, and as an ambassador for Go Noodle. Twice she has been named a finalist for West Hartford Teacher of the Year, in 2004 and again in 2021.

Lori earned her Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology in 1990, and her Master’s degree, magna cum laude, in Early Childhood Education in 1994, both from Southern Connecticut State University.

Riya Nathrani selected 2022 Teacher of the Year for CNMI

Posted on by

Middle school teacher Dr. Riya Nathrani has been selected the 2022 Teacher of the Year for the American Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands. Photo Credit: Riya Nathrani

I am always eager to share information about exceptional educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Dr. Riya Nathrani, a middle school teacher who has been named the 2022 Teacher of the Year for the American Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

Riya teaches career technology, computer literacy, automation, robotics to seventh graders at Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood Middle School in Afetna, Saipan. Her employment in CNMI public schools has spanned seven years.

In her classroom, Riya explores her passion for using digital tools and research-based practices to design lessons and activities. And she does this not only for her students, but also for her colleagues. She is a lead instructor for her district’s educational technology program, through which she showcases best practices for using technology and to enhance learning experiences for students.

In addition to her selection as Teacher of the Year, Riya earned the Education Technology Teacher of the Year award for supporting technology advancement in 2020. She also garnered the Environmental Champion Award for designing environmental conservation projects in collaboration with environmental nonprofit organizations.

A beneficiary of the DACA system, Riya was raised in the Northern Marianas and graduated from public schools there. After high school, she attended Northern Marianas College, where she was named the valedictorian of her class when she graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Education. She earned her Master’s degree in International Teaching from Framingham State University in Massachusetts. In 2017, she was selected to participate in the Teacher Ranger Teacher program. The purpose of the program is to provide teachers an opportunity to learn about National Park Service educational resources and themes.