People on the Move

Educators Tapped for National Awards and Honors

• By Kristal Kuykendall
• 04/04/23

Editor’s Note: The following is a special edition of People on the Move, THE Journal’s recurring series covering noteworthy honors and promotions in K–12 education and ed tech. Submit your own news by sending a news release to [email protected] or by completing our form to submit ed tech industry leadership news (bit.ly/EdTechPeopleNews) or our form to submit news about educators’ honors and leadership roles (bit.ly/K12AdminNews).

National Science Teaching Association Names 2023 Awards Recipients

The National Science Teaching Association has announced the recipients of its 2023 NSTA Awards program, which honors K–12 teachers, principals, professors, and other science education professionals for their outstanding work and achievement in science education. 

Following are the educators recently honored with their awards at an NSTA meeting in Atlanta:

• Corteva Excellence in Agricultural Science Education Award: Patricia Patchin, Fourth-Grade Teacher, Innovation Academy, Oro Valley, Arizona

• Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award for New Teachers:

  • Antonia Boger-May, Teacher, Penn High School, Mishawaka, Indiana

  • Bryan Bolton, Eighth-Grade Science Teacher, Hallsville Middle School, Hallsville, Missouri

  • Daesha Childress, Teacher, John Thomas School of Discovery, Nixa, Missouri

  • Lizz Holtz, Teacher, Glenn C. Jones Middle School, Buford, Georgia

  • Hillary Hunsaker, Teacher, Conway School, Mount Vernon, Washington

  • Hannah Kiser, Science Teacher, Pullman High School, Pullman, Washington

  • Taylor Moon, Teacher, The Derryfield School, Manchester, New Hampshire

  • Nolan Ortbahn, Science Teacher, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, South Dakota

  • Mackenzie Pryor, Teacher, Wolcott College Prep, Chicago, Illinois

  • Natalie Reeder, Tukwila School District, Tukwila, Washington

  • Konstanze Seifert-Ethier, Teacher, Hillsborough Middle School, Hillsborough, New Jersey

  • Bekah Spencer, Teacher, Penn High School, Mishawaka, Indiana

  • Jenniffer LM Stetler, Teacher, Chamblee Middle School/DeKalb County School District, Chamblee, Georgia

  • Jelena Stojicevic, K–5 Science Lab Teacher/Sarasota County Schools, Bay Haven School of Basics Plus, Sarasota, Florida

  • Melissa Thomas, Teacher, F. A. Day Middle School, Newton, Massachusetts

  • Alexandria Wicker, Seventh-Grade Science Teacher/Brevard Public Schools, Andrew Jackson Middle School, Titusville, Florida

  • Olivia Witherspoon, Teacher, John Thomas School of Discovery, Nixa, Missouri

• Northrop Grumman Excellence in Engineering Education Award: George Hademenos, Physics Teacher, Richardson High School, Richardson, Texas

• NSTA Distinguished Informal Science Education: Dana Wright, Informal Educator and Exhibit Specialist, NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia

• NSTA Distinguished Service to Science Education Award: Heidi Schweingruber, Director of the Board on Science Education, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Washington, D.C.

• NSTA Distinguished Teaching Award: Kenneth Huff, Science Teacher, Mill Middle School, Williamsville, New York

• NSTA Fellow Award: Brooke Whitworth, Associate Professor, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

• Robert H. Carleton Award for National Leadership in the Field of Science Education: Christine Royce, Professor, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

• Robert E. Yager Foundation Excellence in Teaching Awards:

  • Lai Cao, AP Physics Teacher, District VII, Baton Rouge Magnet High School, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

  • Jeff Grant, Teacher, District XII, Downers Grove North High School, Downers Grove, Illinois

  • Evie LaFollette, Teacher, District VI, Dobyns-Bennett High School, Kingsport, Tennessee

  • Brian Mulcahey, Science Department Chair, District I, Catholic Memorial School, West Roxbury, Massachusetts

  • Christine M. Paradise, STEM Teacher, District XIII, Epperly Heights Elementary, Mid-Del Public Schools, Del City, Oklahoma

• Shell Science Teaching Awards:

  • Winner: Catherine Walker, Science and Engineering Teacher, Dimond High School, Anchorage, Alaska

  • Finalist: Crystal McDowell, Science Teacher, Greenbrier High School, Evans, Georgia

  • Finalist: Jennie Warmouth, Elementary Teacher, Spruce Elementary, Seattle, Washington

• Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge:

  • Grand Prize Winner (Elementary School Level): Arianna Martinez Moody, Harvey Brown Elementary School, Houston, Texas

  • Grand Prize Winner (Middle School Level): Jeffrey Gale, Fairmont Junior High School, Pasadena, Texas

  • Grand Prize Winner (High School Level): Cecelia Gillam, Hahnville High School, Boutte, Louisiana

• Shell Urban Science Educator Development Awards:

  • Roy Basa, CTE/Science Teacher, Twin Buttes Cyber Academy, Zuni, New Mexico

  • Briana Clarke, Middle School Science Teacher, Envision Academy High School/Park Day School, Oakland, California

  • Sharon Delesbore, Dean of Instruction P-Tech Health Science Program, Hightower High School, Missouri City, Texas

  • Richard Embrick, STEM Teacher, David Crockett Middle School, Richmond, Texas

  • Cecelia Gillam, Science Teacher, Hahnville High School, Boutte, Louisiana

  • Maritha Green, STEM/Biology Teacher, Whidby Elementary School, Houston, Texas

  • Kandice Taylor, Middle School Science Teacher, Brinkley Middle School, Jackson, Mississippi

• Sylvia Shugrue Award for Elementary School Teachers: Andee Felker, Fourth-Grade Teacher, Shadow Valley Elementary, Ogden, Utah