PAEMST Awardees

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 1, 2015

President Obama Honors Outstanding Mathematics and Science Teachers

WASHINGTON, DC -- President Obama today named 108 mathematics and science teachers as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. This year’s awardees represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity schools. The educators will receive their awards at a Washington, DC, event later this summer.

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 awardees named today teach 7th through 12th grade.

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 to Washington, DC, for an awards ceremony, as well educational and celebratory events, and visits with members of the Administration.

"These teachers are shaping America’s success through their passion for math and science,” President Obama said. “Their leadership and commitment empower our children to think critically and creatively about science, technology, engineering, and math. The work these teachers are doing in our classrooms today will help ensure that America stays on the cutting edge tomorrow.”

President Obama is strengthening education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in order to fully harness the promise our Nation’s students. Investing in exemplary teachers like these awardees is vital to inspiring the next generation of explorers and innovators. That’s why President Obama launched the “Educate to Innovate” campaign, which has garnered more than $1 billion in financial and in-kind support for STEM programs. It is also why the President has called for preparing 100,000 excellent science and mathematics teachers over the next decade, leading to the creation of “100kin10,” a coalition of leading corporations, philanthropies, universities, service organizations, and others working to train and retain STEM teachers across the Nation. In addition, the President’s proposed STEM Master Teacher Corps aims to leverage the expertise of some of our nation’s best and brightest teachers in science and mathematics to elevate the teaching of these subjects nationwide. 

The recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are listed below, by state.

To learn more about these extraordinary teachers, please visit: >https://recognition.paemst.org<

Alabama

Marla Hines, Vestavia Hills High School

Sarah Lowman, Tanner High School

Alaska

Tasha Barnes, Wendler Middle School

Russell Walker, Romig Middle School

Arizona

Shannon Mann, Osborn Middle School

Marni Landry, Paradise Valley High School

Arkansas

Brian Leonard, Lake Hamilton High School

Amanda Jones, Poyen High School

California

Marianne Chowning-Dray, Eastside College Preparatory School

Scott Holloway, Westlake High School

Colorado

Kirstin Oseth, Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School

Mark Paricio, Smoky Hill High School

Connecticut

Jacqueline Corricelli, Conard High School

Joshua Steffenson, Glastonbury High School

Delaware

Kristin Carmen, Sussex Technical High School

Christopher Havrilla, Woodbridge High School

District of Columbia

Aris Pangilinan, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School

Florentia Spires, The Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science

Department of Defense Education Activity

Ryan Goodfellow, Vilseck American High School

Jennifer Wilson, Andersen Middle School

Florida

Robin O'Brien, Seminole Ridge Community High School

Carlos Montero, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School

Georgia

Valerie Jones, Ron Clark Academy

Pauline Henry, Luke Garrett Middle School

Hawaii

Amy Yonashiro, ‘Iolani School

Erin Flynn, Sacred Hearts Academy

Idaho

Ramey Uriarte, Heritage Middle School

Melyssa Ferro, Syringa Middle School

Illinois

Darshan Jain, Adlai E. Stevenson High School

Rebecca Vieyra, Cary-Grove High School

Indiana

Melissa Colonis, Lafayette Tecumseh Junior High School

Liviu Haiducu, Avon Advanced Learning Center

Iowa

Allysen Lovstuen, Decorah High School

Brian Reece, Central Academy

Kansas

Patrick Flynn, Olathe East High School

Jeremi Wonch, Indian Trail Middle School

Kentucky

Robyn Morris, East Oldham Middle School

Andrew Kemp, Louisville Male High School

Louisiana

Lerri Cockrell, David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy

Michael Simoneaux, Dutchtown High School

Maine

William O'Brien, Camden Hills Regional High School

Lisa McLellan, Windham High School

Maryland

Julie Harp, Easton High School

James Schafer, Montgomery Blair High School

Massachusetts

Suzanne Kubik, Middleboro High School

Susannah Cowden, Roxbury Preparatory Charter School

Michigan

Luke Wilcox, East Kentwood High School

Walter Erhardt, Battle Creek Area Mathematics and Science Center

Minnesota

Leif Carlson, Jefferson Community School

Peter Bohacek, Henry Sibley High School

Mississippi

Jenny Simmons, Saltillo High School

Betsy Sullivan, Madison Central High School

Missouri

Ruth Knop, Parkway West Senior High School

Kathleen Dwyer, Maplewood Richmond Heights High School

Montana

Daniel Bartsch, Billings Senior High School

David McDonald, Sidney High School

Nebraska

Shelby Aaberg, Scottsbluff High School

Angela Bergman, Westside High School

Nevada

Carrie Hair, Darrell C. Swope Middle School - Gifted and Talented Magnet

Jan Hrindo, Incline Middle School

New Hampshire

Stephanie Burke, West Running Brook Middle School

Jennifer Deenik, Souhegan High School

New Jersey

Kathleen Carter, North Hunterdon High School

Michael Lawrence, West Orange High School

New Mexico

Marco Martínez-Leandro, Highland High School

Karen Temple-Beamish, Albuquerque Academy

New York

Patrick Honner, Brooklyn Technical High School

Chance Nalley, Horace Mann School

North Carolina

Julie Riggins, East Forsyth High School

Jeffrey Milbourne, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

North Dakota

Cynthia Nelson, Grand Forks Central High School

Scott Johnson, Century High School

Ohio

Karma Vince, McCord Junior High School

Christopher Monsour, Columbian High School

Oklahoma

Mark Thomas, Stillwater High School

Sarah Vann, Owasso Eighth Grade Center

Oregon

Mona Schraer, Grant High School

Bradford Hill, Southridge High School

Pennsylvania

Susan Higley, Hughesville Junior/Senior High School

Derrick Wood, Conestoga High School

Puerto Rico

Eric Figueroa, University Gardens High School

Maria Vicenty, Central High School of Visual Arts

Rhode Island

Michelle Way DaSilva, Kickemuit Middle School

Erin Escher, Portsmouth Middle School

South Carolina

Brooke Lance, Lakeside Middle School

Joseph Parker, McCants Middle School

South Dakota

Lindsey Brewer, Huron High School

Janet Wagner, Bon Homme School

Tennessee

Micahel Brown, Montgomery Central High School

Pierre Jackson, Middle College High School

Texas

Jessica Caviness, Coppell High School

Michalle McCallister, Robert G. Cole Middle and High school

U.S. Territories

Nneka Howard-Sibilly, Charlotte Amalie High School

Shamika Williams-Henley, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School

Utah

Nathan Auck, Horizonte Instruction and Training Center

Andrew Neilson, Logan High School

Vermont

Susan Abrams, Montpelier High School

Stewart Williamson, Peoples Academy High School

Virginia

Melanie Pruett, Bailey Bridge Middle School

Anne Moore, Robious Middle School

Washington

Michael Conklin, University High School

Gretel von Bargen, Skyline High School

West Virginia

Pete Karpyk, Weir High School

Eric Kincaid, Morgantown High School

Wisconsin

Corey Andreasen, North High School

Scott Hertting, Neenah High School

Wyoming

Kim Parfitt, Cheyenne Central High School

Thomas Smith, Dean Morgan Junior High School

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