Five Maine Teachers Honored with Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

On January 13, 2025, President Biden announced 336 teachers and mentors from across the nation as recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). These awards honor the vital role that America’s teachers and mentors play in shaping the next generation of technical leaders, including scientists, engineers, explorers, and innovators.

The recently-announced honorees were recognized from 2021 through 2023 and included five Maine educators.

Maine’s 2021-2023 PAEMST Awardees:

Nominees complete a rigorous application process to demonstrate deep content knowledge and an ability to adapt to a broad range of learners and teaching environments. A panel of distinguished mathematicians, scientists, and educators at the state and national levels assesses nominations before recommending awardees to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Teachers are selected based on their distinction in the classroom and dedication to improving STEM education.

A national selection committee assesses the nominations before recommending awardees to the National Science Foundation and OSTP. The National Science Foundation, which manages PAEMST and PAESMEM on behalf of OSTP, provides each recipient $10,000.

Established in 1983, the PAEMST is the highest award K-12 math and science teachers can receive from the U.S. government. Award recipients represent schools and organizations from all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools, and the U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands).

Nominations are currently open for the 2024-2025 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science (PAEMST). Please consider nominating an excellent grade 7-12 educator or applying on the PAEMST website. The deadline to nominate/apply is Thursday, February 6, 2025.

For more information, please visit PAEMST (www.paemst.org) and PAESMEM (www.paesmem.net) online.