President Obama honors outstanding math and science teachers
June 15, 2012
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
President Obama honors outstanding math and science teachers
June 12, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC -- President Obama today named 97 mathematics and science teachers as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The educators will receive their awards in Washington, DC later this month.
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is awarded annually to outstanding K-12 science and mathematics teachers from across the country. The winners are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians, and educators following an initial selection process done at the state level. Each year the award alternates between teachers teaching kindergarten through 6th grade and those teaching 7th through 12th grades. The 2011 awardees named today teach 7th through 12th grades.
Winners of this Presidential honor receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion. They also are invited Washington, DC, for an awards ceremony and several days of educational and celebratory events, including visits with members of Congress and the Administration.
President Obama has committed to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and prepare 100,000 effective science and mathematics teachers over the next decade. These commitments build on the President's "Educate to Innovate" campaign, which has attracted more than $700 million in donations and in-kind support from corporations, philanthropies, service organizations, and others to help bolster science and technology education in the classroom.
"America's success in the 21st century depends on our ability to educate our children, give our workers the skills they need, and embrace technological change. That starts with the men and women in front of our classrooms. These teachers are the best of the best, and they stand as excellent examples of the kind of leadership we need in order to train the next generation of innovators and help this country get ahead," said President Obama.
The recipients of the 2011 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are:
Alabama
- Suzanne Culbreth, Birmingham (Math)
- Chanda Davis, Huntsville (Science)
Alaska
- Stephanie Cronin, Seward (Math)
- Joanna Hubbard, Anchorage (Science)
Arizona
- Michael Frank, Tucson (Science)
Arkansas
- Stephanie Muckelberg, Bald Knob (Math)
- Vickie Logan, Little Rock (Science)
California
- Kentaro Iwasaki, San Francsico (Math)
- Dean Baird, Sacramento (Science)
Colorado
- Andrea Wiseman, Denver (Math)
- Amy Hanson, Denver (Science)
Connecticut
- Karen Thomas, Westport (Math)
- Tyler Hoxley, East Hartford (Science)
Delaware
- Mary Pinkston, Wilmington (Math)
- Michael Kaufmann, Wilmington (Science)
Department of Defense Education Activity
- Spencer Bean, Baumholder, Germany (Math)
District of Columbia
- Sarah Bax (Math)
- William Wallace (Science)
Florida
- Kathleen Jones, Panama City Beach (Math)
- Stephen Fannin, Tallahassee (Science)
Georgia
- Carol Taylor, Fayetteville (Math)
- Kelly Stewart, Atlanta (Science)
Hawaii
- Charles Souza, Jr., Honolulu (Math)
- Julia Segawa, Honolulu (Science)
Idaho
- Katie Pemberton, Coeur d'Alene (Math)
- James Jordan, Boise (Science)
Illinois
- Peter DeCraene, Evanston (Math)
- David Bonner, Darien (Science)
Indiana
- Natalie Schneider, Indianapolis (Math)
- Stacy McCormack, Mishawaka (Science)
Iowa
- Karla Digmann, Dubuque (Math)
- Jody Stone, Cedar Falls (Science)
Kansas
- Angela Miller, Manhattan (Math)
- Dennis Burkett, Jr., Olathe (Science)
Kentucky
- Andrea Higdon, Crestwood (Math)
- Joshua Underwood, Mt. Olivet (Science)
Louisiana
- Alison Drake, New Orleans (Math)
- Anna Cole, Raceland (Science)
Maine
- Kenneth Vencile, Rockport (Science)
Maryland
- Barry Hopkins, Severna Park (Science)
Massachusetts
- Kathleen Erickson, Great Barrington (Math)
- Naomi Volain, Springfield (Science)
Michigan
- Donald Pata, Grosse Pointe Woods (Science)
Minnesota
- Donna Forbes, Mahtomedi (Math)
- Jamin McKenzie, St. Paul (Science)
Mississippi
- Jennifer Wilson, Flowood (Math)
- Lucy McKone, Brookhaven (Science)
Missouri
- Jennifer Baker, Hazelwood (Math)
- Robert Becker, Kirkwood (Science)
Montana
- Tammy Johnson, Stevensville (Math)
- Carol Pleninger, Havre (Science)
Nebraska
- David Hartman, Lincoln (Math)
- Joan Christen, Beatrice (Science)
Nevada
- Gary Mayers, Las Vegas (Math)
New Hampshire
- Gina Bergskaug, Hollis (Science)
New Jersey
- John McAllen III, Point Pleasant (Math)
- Rebecca McLelland-Crawley, Perth Amboy (Science)
New York
- Elisabeth Jaffe, New York (Math)
- Francesco Neal-Noschese, Cross River (Science)
North Carolina
Nancy Trollinger, Marion (Math)
- Eric Grunden, Raleigh (Science)
North Dakota
- Ila LaChapelle, Walhalla (Science)
Ohio
- Carole Morbitzer, Columbus (Math)
- Tami Fitzgerald, Zanesville (Science)
Oklahoma
- Ashley Moody, McLoud (Math)
- Rebecca Morales, Broken Arrow (Science)
Oregon
- Mary Koike, Newport (Science)
Pennsylvania
- Katherine Schwang, Carlisle (Math)
- Richard Schmidt, Fort Washington (Science)
Puerto Rico
- Jaime Abreu Ramos, San Juan (Math)
- Judith Martínez, Caguas (Science)
Rhode Island
- Brian Nelson, Wakefield (Math)
- David Mather, Warwick (Science)
South Carolina
- Matthew Owens, Columbia (Math)
- Holly Sullivan, Lugoff (Science)
South Dakota
- Deborah Snook, Philip (Math)
- Paul Kuhlman, Avon (Science)
Tennessee
- Phyllis Hillis, Oak Ridge (Math)
- Gail Schulte, Smyrna (Science)
Texas
- Dixie Ross, Pflugerville (Math)
- Joy Killough, Austin (Science)
US Territories
- Beatriz Camacho, Guam (Math)
- Katherine Baker, Virgin Islands (Science)
Utah
- Vivian Shell, Salt Lake City (Math)
- James Larson, Salt Lake City (Science)
Vermont
- Cathy Estes, Thetford (Math)
- Elizabeth Mirra, Windsor (Science)
Virginia
- Kimberly Riddle, Fredericksburg (Math)
- Jacqueline Curley, Sterling (Science)
Washington
- Nathan Shields, Vancouver (Math)
- Robert Ettinger, Seattle (Science)
West Virginia
- Neil Reger, Buckhannon (Math)
- Angela McDaniel, Moatsville (Science)
Wisconsin
- Michael Tamblyn, Whitewater (Math)
- Kara Pezzi, Appleton (Science)
Wyoming
- Jayne Wingate, Cheyenne (Math)
- Chad Sharpe, Casper (Science)
###
Go to the District News Archive
