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2013 STEM Educator Award Winners

A spotlight on the 2013 winners and highlights from their submissions.

Elementary School Winner

Evan Mirenberg
P.S. 188k-Michael E Berdy School
Brooklyn, New York

Evan has challenged and inspired his fifth-grade special education students with STEM education. They learn how to construct and use solar wind stations, wind turbines, hydro turbines, and solar vehicles among others. All of the projects use renewable energy as a power source. He also works with a class of second and third graders on many collaborative projects involving innovative, inquiry-based, technology-infused, hands-on learning.

Middle School Winner

Ella Bowling
Mason County Middle School
Maysville, Kentucky

Ella brings real-world science and technology-enriched activities to students with a range of ability levels and needs. Her students sample for macro invertebrates in streams and use water-quality testing kits to determine the streams’ health.  They raise rainbow trout, monitoring the fish through all stages of development. They study invasive plant species and how they impact biodiversity by conducting transect surveys. Skateboard physics, collecting data in a weather station as part of a global weather project, building various structures to demonstrate engineering principles, and hosting and participating in an Energy Expo are among the many ways students learn about STEM in her classroom.

Middle School Winner

June Teisan
Harper Woods Secondary School
Harper Woods, Michigan

June’s students participate in a year long Water Initiative Project which gives these young scientists the tools, guidance, and vibrant educational settings to not only increase their connection to nature and build their understanding of lake and watershed observations and information, but also has supplied a useful new 24/7 data stream for state and local water preservation organizations. Students use 21st century digital tools to craft messages and to share the importance of water stewardship. These endeavors will potentially open doors to careers in these STEM fields for her school’s at-risk, minority students.

High School Winner

Lisa Damian-Marvin
Camden Hill Regional High School
Rockport, Maine

Lisa is committed to a high level of technology integration in all of her courses. Her students use sensor-based data collection throughout the year. Her “Prove It To Me” labs require modeling and deriving physics equations and force students to think critically about difficult concepts. Her students also have completed complex, meaningful engineering projects.

High School Winner

Coit Hendley
Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Coit teaches a Research Practicum which is an internship-like program that allows seniors to gain real-life research experience and gather authentic data. Students in this Watershed Integrated Study Program adopt 14 stream sites and use them to study local water quality issues. They produce a master’s thesis style paper complete with statistics and participate in a poster symposium and science fair.