Debbie Grashin of Columbus, Ohio, was named one of ten Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year award.

This year, ten amazing teachers from around the country have garnered an Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award from Amazon. One of these is Debbie Grashin in Columbus, Ohio. This is the first year Amazon has award the prestigious award.

Debbie teaches computer science and math at KIPP High School. KIPP stands for the Knowledge is Power Program, a national network of public charter schools that opened a middle school in Columbus in 2008, followed by a high school in 2016. KIPP schools focus on educating students from under-served communities and preparing them for success in college. Debbie is a big believer in the program. “I liked the idea of being a part of something that was building and being able to work from the ground up,” she declared. “I liked their mission that they are creating a college prep-like school for students in communities where their local public school choice is just not a very good option for them.”

Debbie says she feels a great deal of gratitude for the Amazon award. “It means so much to me to know that the work I have been doing to build a growing computer science department for my students, who are traditionally underrepresented in CS fields, is valued by Amazon and the larger community,” she remarked. “I am grateful for the Amazon Future Engineers program for the work you do to increase access to computer science education for students from under-served communities,” she concluded.

Each of the ten honored educators received a prize package valued at over $50,000 to be used to benefit his or her school and students. Of that, Amazon donated $25,000 in school supplies, including Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablets, classroom essentials from AmazonBasics, and additional items from Amazon Essentials. Award recipients also received one full year of Amazon Music Unlimited and a 12-month Audible.com Gold Gift Membership. Debbie and her fellow award-winners also received a $200 Amazon gift card to celebrate her hard work.

To read more about Debbie Grashin, see this online story at Columbus Parent.

Many educators have earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of them is Jeff Remington, an outstanding STEM teacher from Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

I always enjoy sharing stories about educators who have earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of them is Jeff Remington, an outstanding STEM teacher from Palmyra Area School District in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

Jeff earned his Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Science Education and teaching from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1986. He earned his Master’s degree in Adult Training and Development from Pennsylvania in 1991.

In a career that has spanned 33 years, Jeff has been a superlative teacher of science and technology. He encourages his students to understand the impact of humans on the environment. He designs curriculum that puts them in the role of being problem solvers. He creates curriculum based on project-based assignments, and he is also a big proponent of collaborative learning. In addition, Jeff helped to establish a Youth Center to give struggling students a safe place to go if there was too much chaos at home.

Jeff has also promoted science learning abroad. He has facilitated science instruction in Haiti, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates. For his work in the field of STEM education, Jeff garnered a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2002. With the cash award that accompanied this honor, Jeff funded science and technology classrooms and teacher training at schools in Haiti. He also helped set up internet connections there and established a wiki project between students between Haiti and Palmyra.

The Presidential Award is not the only only honor Jeff has received. He earned a Paul DeHart Hurd Award For Exemplary Middle Level Science Teaching and Leadership. He is also the recipient of a Nevelyn J. Knisley Award for Inspirational Teaching by a Lebanon Valley College Adjunct Faculty Member. Furthermore, this Chalkboard Champion was named a National Teacher STEM Ambassador by the National Science Teachers Association and The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He has also been nominated for a Global Teacher Prize by the Varkey Foundation.

To read more about this amazing educator, see this article published by the Varkey Foundation.