Tag Archives: STEM teachers

Ohio STEM teacher Annette “Ann” Drake garners a coveted PAEMST award

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Annette “Ann” Drake of Brookville, Ohio, has garnered a coveted PAEMST award. Photo credit: Ohio Northern  University

There are many outstanding educators working with America’s young people in our nation’s public schools. One of these is teacher Annette “Ann” Drake of Ohio. She was recognized in January, 2025, with a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) by President Joe Biden.

Ann teaches junior high school mathematics at Brookville Intermediate School in Brookville, In a career that spans 25 years, she has taught 23 of them at Brookville.

But the award-winning educator didn’t begin her professional life as a teacher. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Ohio Northern University in 1989, she accepted a position at an engineering consulting firm in Indiana. It was there that she began volunteering at her daughter’s school. “It was awesome!” Ann declared. And that was when she began to plan a career change. She went back to school, earning her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Wright State University.

As a teacher, Ann believes that every student can learn science, they just need a teacher to believe in them, to support their learning journey. She places an emphasis on differentiated learning, inquiry lessons, and problem-based learning. She works diligently to foster creativity, higher level learning, and problem-solving skills, student-created experiments, hands-on activities, and a variety of labs.

For her work as an educator, Ann has earned many accolades. She was named the recipient of the 2015-2016 Dayton Regional STEM Center: STEM Education Collaboration Award and the 2014-2015 Ohio STEM Educator. She garnered the Air Force Association Award and attended the 2007 Honeywell’s Space Academy for Educators. In addition, she has been awarded multiple grants and held several leadership positions in state organizations, including the Science Education Council of Ohio, the Environmental Education Council of Ohio, and the Ohio Earth Science Teachers Association. Furthermore, she has presented science sessions at the state and national level.

To learn more about Ann, click on this link to an article about her published by Ohio Northern University.

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 meeting with the President and a $10,000 cash prize.

Matthew Winheim named CA 2025 State Teacher of the Year

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Middle school STEM educator Matthew Winheim has been named the 2025 California State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Flight Test Historical Foundation

I am always excited to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned honors for his work in the classroom. One of these is Matthew Winheim, a STEM teacher from California. He has been named his state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

Matthew teachers science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to middle schoolers at the Space and Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration (SAGE) Magnet Academy. The school is part of the Palmdale School District located in Southern California. There Matthew integrates aeronautics in his STEM course to inspire the next generation of innovators and aviators.

One of his most notable accomplishments was helping to create and establish a high school math course in collaboration with a community college. This course reduced the need for remediation and prepared students for success in STEM careers. 

In addition, Matthew is a veteran of the US Air Force. And his commitment to the military community continues, even though he has been discharged. To this end, he serves as the president of a nonprofit called the Edwards Air Force Base Civilian-Military Support Group. The organization supporting active–duty military personnel and their families in the community.

His selection as California’s Teacher of the Year is not the only honor Matthew has earned. In 2022, he was honored as a “Hometown Hero” at the Edwards Open House and STEM Expo, where he flew with the Air Force Thunderbirds.

Matthew earned his Associate of Science degree in Aeronautical Sciences from the Community College of the Air Force in 2000. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with a Minor in Mathematics from California State University, Bakersfield, in 2002. He earned his Master’s degree in Mathematics Education from Western Governors University in 2008. His career as an educator spans more than 20 years.

 

DC educator Samiyyah Branford named finalist for PAEMST

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DC educator Samiyyah Blanford was named a finalist for a coveted 2024 K-6 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Photo credit: DC Public Schools

There are many outstanding educators who are working in America’s public schools. One of these is Samiyyah Branford, a teacher from the Washington DC area. She has been named as a 2024 K-6 finalist for a recognition for a coveted Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

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 meeting with the President and a $10,000 cash prize.

Samiyyah teaches mathematics to second graders at CW Harris Elementary School, a public school which logs a 99% minority enrollment..”My passion for teaching stems from the love that was poured into me by educators who believed in me despite my circumstances,” declares Samiyyah. “I want to be the positive influence that instills values such as empathy, integrity, and resilience within all of my scholars,” she says.

The honored educator’s career as a professional educator spans more than 20 years. In that time, the PAEMST award is not the only recognition she has receive. In 2023 she was one of 100 educators honored by the Walt Disney Corporation for bringing creativity and imagination to her curriculum.

Samiyyah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from Rutgers University in 2002. She earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Washington Trinity University in 2013. She earned a second Master’s degree in Education and Instructional Technology in 2019.

Science teacher Katie Strait of Maine earns recognition

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Science teacher Katie Strait of Portland, Maine, earns recognition for her work with young people. Photo credit: Maine Department of Education

I am always pleased to share the story of an exceptional teacher who has earned recognition for their work with young people. Today, I share the story of Katie Strait, a high school teacher who was named a 2024 County Teacher of the Year for the county of Cumberland, Maine.

Katie teaches at the Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, a public charter school located in Portland, Maine. The school offers courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for students in grades nine through twelve. Katie teaches courses in biology and marine biology.

Katie was raised in upstate New York. When she graduated from high school, she moved to Maine to attend the University of New England. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Marine Science. Then she enrolled at the University of New Hampshire where she earned a Master’s degree in Zoology with a focus in Aquaculture. Most of her professional career has been in the science industry – from R&D in a clinical chemistry lab to becoming a manager at Bangs Island Mussels.

Once she earned her degrees, Katie took a job in a clinical chemistry lab and worked for a while as a manager at Bangs Island Mussels. But it was a long-term substitute position at Sanford Middle School that caused her to realize she wanted to pursue a career in education. She taught at Sanford for five years and then, in 2021, she accepted the position at Baxter Academy.

In her classroom, Katie is well-known for her hands-on, real-world teaching style and her focus on relationship-building. She organizes regular field trips for her students to explore the nearby tide pools and marine ecosystems, and often organizes beach clean-ups, and then she asks her students to create art work with what they find during these clean-ups.

Megan Mullen of Nebraska becomes a finalist for a PAEMST award

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Nebraska STEM teacher Megan Mullen has been named one of three finalists in her state for a prestigious PAEMST award (Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching). Photo Credit: Megan Mullen

Congratulations go to Megan Mullen, a STEM teacher from Nebraska. She has been selected one of three teachers in her state to be finalists for a prestigious PAEMST award. The PAEMST (Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is the nation’s highest honor for K–12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science teachers.

The PAEMST honors 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, inventors, space explorers, and engineers. The PAEMST program, founded in 1983, is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The honor comes with a visit to the White House and a $10,000 cash prize.

Megan teaches in the Paxton Consolidated School District located in Paxton, Nebraska. There she has led her eighth grade STEM class in their exploration of drone construction and flight with new Drone Maker kits. The students experimented with various arm lengths to determine how that affects flight performance. The honored teacher was able to fund the project with a John Russell Applegate Grant.

Previously, with colleague Jordan Cullers, Megan coached fifth graders on the school’s Science Olympiad team. For this effort, Megan earned an Outstanding Coach award in 2017.

Way to go, Megan!