Computer science teacher Jacob Jun from Gonzales, California, is one of ten educators who has garnered an Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year award.

Ten exceptional educators from around the country have garnered a Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award from Amazon. One of these is Jacob Jun, a computer science teacher at Gonzales High School in Gonzales, Monterey County, California. The honored educator was recognized for going above and beyond for his students to build skills in computer science, and for promoting diversity and inclusion in his classes. 

One of Jacob’s goals as a teacher has been a campaign to recruit girls to enroll in his course. “In this classroom, you…are all worthy,” asserts Jacob. “You can all do this.” As a result, of his effort, girls now account for about half the student enrollment in his classes. “The girls in the classroom have really changed the landscape, and we have a broader perspective, students from various backgrounds speaking out,” declares Jacob. “It challenges the way I normally operate.”

Each of the ten award-winning teachers received a prize package valued at over $50,000 to be used to benefit his or her school and students.

Jacob earned an Associate of Arts degree in General Studies from Hartnell Community College in Salinas, California, in 2002. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, in 2006. He launched his career as an educator as a teacher of English in Seoul, South Korea. He spent one year there. The next year, Jacob worked as an Assistant Supervising Editor at Korea Poly High. There he edited curriculum used in teaching English to South Korean foreign language students. While in this role, he created an outline for a series of elementary school grammar textbooks and he authored a book in the series. He also performed final edits and oversaw the handling of publishing materials, and he worked with the department head to develop computer safeguards and to create a budget for media storage. He also spent two years as an ROP Instructor and EdTech Coach at Mission Trails ROP, where he built a program that involved hands-on training in a professional studio for students looking to gain experience in the field of cinema arts and TV media. He has taught at Gonzales High School for the past three years.

To read more about Jacob Jun, see this article published in the Californian.

Lisa Bagley of Texas earned a 2020 Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year award. Lisa teaches AP Environmental Science and Computer Science at West Mesquite High School.

I always enjoy sharing stories about talented classroom teachers who have earned accolades for their work. One of these is Lisa Bagley, an AP Environmental Science and Computer Science teacher at West Mesquite High School. She is one of ten educators nationwide who has been selected as a 2020 Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year.

As part of her award, Lisa received a prize package valued at more than $50,000 for West Mesquite High. The package includes $25,000 for the school and an additional $25,000 in computer supplies, including Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablets. Lisa also received one year subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited and a 12-month membership from Audible.com.

“I am incredibly thankful to have the ability to deepen that impact through this award!” Lisa expressed. “The award will allow us to purchase the technology we need for our scholars, facilitate training for our computer science and engineering teachers, and strengthen the STEM pipeline from our feeder middle schools so that our West Mesquite students have every opportunity to showcase their excellence!” she continued.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Lisa serves as a consultant and mentor for the National Math and Science Initiative in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She has also served for the past six years as a reader for AP Environmental Science for the College Board located in New York.

Lisa earned her Bachelor’s degree at Rice University in Anthropology in Houston, Texas, in 1994. She earned her Master’s degree in Anthropology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, in 1998. She worked for the Dallas Independent School District for five years and she has taught in the Mesquite Independent School District for the past seven years.

To read more about Lisa, follow this link to an article about her published in the Dallas Morning News.

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.