Tag Archives: STEM teachers

STEM teacher Gertrude Clarke inducted into NJ Inventors Hall of Fame

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STEM teacher Dr. Gertrude Clarke was inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame. Photo credit: Newton STEM

Students throughout America are incredibly lucky to be taught by some of the most brilliant educators that our country has to offer. One of these is Dr. Gertrude M. Clarke, a high school STEM teacher was been inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame.

In 1954, Gertrude earned her Bachelor’s degree from Douglass College in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She also completed courses in radiology at Rutgers University; electronics courses at the RCA Institute; chemistry and physics courses at Seton Hall University; and coursework in atomic, nuclear, and solid waste physics at the Yale University Graduate School. By 1987 the talented educator had earned her PhD from Rutgers University.

In the high school classroom, Gertrude taught STEM courses in basic science, physics, chemistry, and environmental science at Chatham High School, a public school located in Chatham, New Jersey. While teaching there, she also designed an Advanced Placement course in Nucleonics, a class that focused on aspects of nuclear physics.

For her excellent work in the classroom, Princeton University recognized her with Distinguished Secondary School Teaching in the State of New Jersey in 1978. In 1981, she garnered the Citation for Distinguished Service to Science Education Award from The National Science Teachers Association. In 1985, she was named a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching.

Gertrude keenly wanted K-12 students in New Jersey to be excited about science, and to recognize the relevance of science, mathematics, computer science, and technology in their lives. To achieve this goal, she founded the New Jersey Business, Industry, and Science Education Consortium. She served as the consortium’s Executive Director from 1981 to 1999. In addition, she served for 16 years on the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame (NJIHF). After her retirement, Gertrude herself became an inductee into the NJIHF in 2011.

Sadly, Gertrude Clarke passed away on May 15, 2020. She was 88 years old. To read more about the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame, click on this link: NJinvent.org.

LA middle school teacher Robbie Evans earns coveted PAEMST

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James “Robbie” Evans of Sterlington Middle School in Sterlington, Louisiana, has earned a coveted PAEMST award. Photo Credit: News Star

It is always a pleasure for me to share stories about talented educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Louisiana educator James “Robbie” Evans, who has earned a coveted 2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

The coveted PAEMST honor recognizes the dedication, hard work, and important role 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 honor comes with a $10,000 cash prize, a certificate signed by President Joe Biden, and a trip to Washington, DC, to attend an honors ceremony with the President.

Robbie Evans has been an educator for the last 10 years. He has spent all of them teaching at his alma mater, Sterlington Middle School, located in Sterlington, Louisiana. He teaches sixth grade science, but he has also taught taught English, Language Arts, and social studies.

The key to keeping his students excited about science, says Robbie, is project-based learning. A typical day for students in his classes centers on collaborative group work, modelling, and hands-on activities. He also has designed instruction to include a multitude of digital platforms where students can use what they have learned in their scientific investigations.

In addition to his work in the classroom, Robbie serves as his school’s Science Department Chair. He is also a participant in the Ouachita Parish School Systems Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) cohort, a districtwide initiative to improve the reading and writing skills of students. As part of the LDC team, Robbie has developed and delivered districtwide presentations on literacy design and created exemplary science literacy modules available to all sixth grade science teachers across the district.

Robbie earned his B.A. in journalism from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and an Master’s degree in Teaching from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana.

 

Puerto Rico STEM teacher Janine Hidalgo garners coveted PAEMST

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Elementary STEM teacher Janine Hidalgo of San Juan, Puerto Rico, garnered a coveted PAEMST in 2020. Photo credit: University of Puerto Rico

There are many talented educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Janine Hidalgo, an elementary school teacher from Puerto Rico. She garnered a coveted PAEMST in 2020.

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.

Janine teaches at Academia San Ignacio de Loyola in San Juan. In a career that has spanned over 20 years, she has spent the last six of them teaching fifth and sixth grade science. She has a reputation for being a compassionate and responsive teacher with excellent skills in classroom management, behavior modification, and individualized support. In her classroom, she works with students at all skill levels to promote learning and boost educational success.

The honored educator encourages her students to develop student-led and community-based projects. And these projects have been quite successful.  In 2013, Janine founded her school’s first Robotics Team. Under her leadership, the team won the First Lego League (FLL) first place prize in both the 2013-2014 and in 2015-2016 competitions. In the Puerto Rico Championships in 2014-2015, her team captured the Programming Award. And then her school’s  team became Puerto Rico’s delegation at the FLL North American Open Champion at Legoland, CA. In 2017-2020, Janine incorporated expanded learning opportunities for her students when she integrated the VEX IQ Robotics platform. In 2019, Janine coordinated the school’s first trip to Space Camp in Alabama. During the trip, her students won the Right Stuff Award and obtained one for the highest average scores on missions and engineering challenges.

Through all of these experiences, Janine’s students have developed a well-rounded scientific mind and see the value of teamwork. To recognize her expert leadership and her dedication, Janine was recognized as a distinguished Robotics Coach by FLL of Puerto Rico in 2020.

Janine earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Puerto Rico. She is a certified elementary and STEM school teacher.

TX teacher Lori Garrett earns prestigious 2022 PAEMST Award

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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

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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.