National Awards Yearbook 2023-24

National Awards 2023-2024

Table of Contents: PLTW ADMINISTRATORS 4-5 Outstanding PLTW Administrators 10-11 PLTW LAUNCH 12-13 18-19 PLTW GATEWAY 20-21 24-25

National PLTW Administrator of the Year Outstanding PLTW Launch Teachers National PLTW Launch Teacher of the Year Outstanding PLTW Gateway Teachers National PLTW Gateway Teacher of the Year

PLTW COMPUTER SCIENCE 28-29 National PLTW Computer Science Teacher of the Year PLTW ENGINEERING 30-31 36-37

Outstanding PLTW Engineering Teachers National PLTW Engineering Teacher of the Year

PLTW BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE 38-39 Outstanding PLTW Biomedical Science Teachers 42-43

National PLTW Biomedical Science Teacher of the Year

ROBERT & PATRICIA KERN 44-45 Robert & Patricia Kern Teacher of the Year

2023-24 National PLTW Teachers and Administrator of the Year Awards PLTW educators across our network play an immeasurable role in our work to prepare students for college, career, and beyond. They continue to stand up, show up, and step up every day for their students, colleagues, and communities.

Each year, we honor outstanding PLTW teachers and administrators through the National PLTW Teachers and PLTW Administrator of the Year awards. This achievement recognizes the unparalleled commitment of these educators to help every student in every grade be STEMsuccessful.

Administrators

Outstanding PLTW Administrators Cole Atkinson More Norman Technology Center Oklahoma

Melanie Beaver South Vermillion Community School Corporation Indiana

Benjamin Cobanli Triangle Math and Science Academy North Carolina

Tiffany Etienne St. Landry Parish School Board Lousiana

Diane Fitzpatrick Beaverton School District Oregon

Andrew Glatfelter Lancaster School District/Academies of the Antelope Valley California John Kozicke Greendale Schools Wisconsin

Christine Lewis Blue Springs School District Missouri

Julie Mayeux WBRS, West Baton Rouge Parish Louisiana

Jaime Ramirez Roosevelt-Walker Academy California

Robert Reavis Spokane Public Schools Washington

Catherine Rickert Central Falls School District Rhode Island

Andre’ Skinner Suffolk Public Schools Virginia

2023-24 National PLTW Administrator of the Year

Mike Dailey

Southeast Polk Community School District | Iowa • • • •

13 years as the SEP Junior High Principal 16 years as principal at the junior high level Part of curriculum team that started PLTW process at Southeast Polk Junior High during the 2014-2015 school year During the 2023-2024 school year, the junior high school will welcome the Medical Detectives class to its students

“Mr. Dailey has demonstrated an unmatched focus on bringing innovative and practical educational opportunities to the building, and this can be seen in his support for the PLTW program. Mr. Dailey has been instrumental in bringing PLTW to our district, and has played a significant role in creating awareness about the program, garnering the support of teachers, students, and parents, and successfully implementing the program in his building. Due to his advocacy, our district has become a leader in terms of the quality of the PLTW program offered.”

- Jo Ellen Lanthan, Ed.D, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Southeast Polk Community Schools

Launch Teachers

Outstanding PLTW Launch Teachers Cindy Clark Brittany Hill Middle School Missouri

Jesse Cranfill Maple Elementary School California

Elva DeBaca San Ysidro School District California

Sharon Goodin Brooklyn STEM Academy Indiana

Kimberly Inabnit Brooklyn STEM Academy Indiana

Julie Linton Wheatland Center School Wisconsin

Heather Morphew Horace Mann Elementary Oklahoma

Juanita Nunez Willow Elementary California

Janelle Odle Wildwood Elementary School California

Beth Tomlinson Broadalbin-Perth Elementary School New York

Jessika Zink Rolla Middle School Missouri

2023-24 National PLTW Launch Teacher of the Year

Heather Hoover McKinley STEM Academy | Ohio • • • • • • • •

One of Steubenville City School District school facilitators Oversees the reading and math curriculum at McKinley STEM Academy PLTW Launch Lead Teacher District Coordinator Odyssey of the Mind program Head advisor for the district’s 4-H program Greenhouse Operator at McKinley STEM Academy Professionally certified in Elementary Education PreK-5 and holds endorsements in both Reading and Gifted Education for grades K-12 Provides all staff in Steubenville City Schools with PLTW Launch training and professional development; under her leadership, 100% of McKinley STEM Academy teachers have been trained in PLTW.

“Ms. Hoover is dedicated to infusing STEM into all aspects of daily core instruction.

Ms. Hoover provides co-teaching opportunities for all staff to provide 90 minutes each day in the Project Lead The Way Launch Lab. Ms. Hoover is dedicated and loyal to her students and colleagues. She never settles for status quo but rather seeks ways to improve the learning experience for students and the work experience for those on her team.”

Dr. Shana M. D’Aurora-Wydra, Director of STEM & Career Technical Education, Steubenville City Schools

Gateway Teachers

Outstanding PLTW Gateway Teachers Darien Burnitt Clewiston Middle School Florida

Jesse Cranfill Maple Elementary School California

Matthew Fox Innovation Middle School Florida

Emily Harris Stillwater Middle School Oklahoma

Rob King Central Middle School Maryland

Alicia Koepke Chippewa Middle School Illinois

Ronald Puccetti Central Middle School Texas

Tory Spanier Delano High School Minnesota

Crystal Ellison Stevens Clinton Middle School South Carolina

2023-24 National PLTW Gateway Teacher of the Year

Christine Plumier

Greenville County Schools | South Carolina • • • •

Taught in Greenville County, South Carolina for over 17 years Leads run one of the largest robotics programs in South Carolina Hold professional development sessions for Greenville County Schools Taught middle school level math, before becoming a PLTW teacher

“It is my pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Mrs. Christine Plumier for the PLTW Launch Teacher of the Year award. I have supervised and worked with Mrs. Plumier for the past six years and observed her commitment to her students, program, and our school. I believe she is an exemplary PLTW teacher and a model for other teachers. As principal of Sevier Middle School, I have seen Mrs. Plumier grow from a great teacher to a leader of teachers.

Other schools have seen her great success and have asked if they can send their PLTW teachers to Sevier to learn from Mrs. Plumier. She has dedicated time and resources to support teachers from other schools all on her town time.

She has organized sessions on teacher workdays to host PLTW teachers from other schools, again developing all the materials and resources on her own. Mrs. Plumier has built her successful program over the past nine years with dedication, commitment, and advocacy.”

Chad Maguire, Principal, Sevier Middle School

Computer Science Teachers

2023-24 National PLTW Computer Science Teacher of the Year

April Schermann Normal West High School | Illinois • • • • • •

22 years of teaching experience PLTW Master Teacher National Board Certified teacher since 2012 Leader of math department Runs Girls Who Code Club and CyberPatriot team Facilitates a free K-8 Coding Night with over 200 students from local community

“April takes the coaching approach she uses within her experience as a college athlete herself and as a coach and applies it to all things she does. These traits naturally flow into her work in the area of computer science for our students, her department, our school, and the community. April’s leadership in Project Lead The Way (PLTW) doesn’t just end with her own classroom, as she is a trainer for high school teachers across the nation during the summer, focusing on curriculum content and improvement. If there is a grant out there to support computer science growth in our school, April will find it and often win it. She finds opportunities to incorporate an equity lens in the STEM field, making sure to represent females and students of color within each aspect of the achievement goals she has set for our computer science program at Normal West High School and in the Bloomington-Normal community. April’s genuine love of learning, her impact leadership, and her coaching skills applied to all things computer science make her an immeasurable candidate for the 2023-2024 National PLTW Computer Science Teacher of the Year.”

Angela R. Codron, Normal Community West High School, Associate Principal

Engineering Teachers

PLTW Outstanding Engineering Teachers Joan Cole Great Plains Technology Center/ Collinsville Middle School Oklahoma Angela Elsasser Great Oaks-Harrison High School Ohio

Craig Hughes Batesville High School Indiana

Laurent P. Langevine Ball High School Texas

Robin Merritt Clear Creek High School Texas

Michelle Ming Archbishop Carroll High School Washington D.C

Jessica Sprague Charles Page High School Oklahoma

Seth Stallings Riverside High School North Carolina

Michael Spudic Battlefield High School Virginia

Andy Wilkins Noblesville High School Indiana

2023-24 National PLTW Engineering Teacher of the Year

Tracy Swedlund Medford Area Senior High | Wisconsin • • • •

PLTW Master Teacher National Board Certified Volunteered on many projects with his students like the Wisconsin Citizen Stream Monitoring Network, the Purple Loosestrife Study, Deer Study and Water Quality Study Coaches Science Olympiad

“Tracy demonstrates commitment to enabling and empowering students to develop key transportable skills important for college and career success. He treats his students like scientists and expects them to be scientists. Students not only do well academically in his classes, but they enjoy science because of his teaching style and positive “cando” personality. He is a leader in our PLTW program, becoming a Master Teacher and bringing his knowledge and skills to our district and classroom. Tracy creates an inclusive classroom environment, so all students feel a sense of belonging. He has high expectations for all students and because of his strong student teacher relationship his students meet those expectations. Tracy is an extraordinary PLTW and science teacher, but even more than that, he is an extraordinary teacher and leader in our school, community, and state who puts his students first.”

Laura Lundy, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Medford School District

Biomedical Science Teachers

PLTW Outstanding Biomedical Science Teachers Scott Fohey Staley High School Missouri

Maria Martinez Harmony School of Excellence Laredo Texas Sarah Klingbile Sheboygan South High School Wisconsin

2023-24 National PLTW Biomedical Science Teacher of the Year

Debra Moreno

Norwalk-La Mirada Unified | California • • •

Brought TeenCERT to school campus Started teacher career at 48-years-old Advocated for certification opportunities for her students, started and advised multiple clubs, and worked to build partnerships in the community to get students real-world experiences, internships and jobs

“Debra Moreno is the key reason for the success of the PLTW Biomedical Science Pathway at La Mirada High School. When I joined the district, she was one of the very first teachers to invite me into her classroom and shared with me all about the four-year PLTW Biomed Pathway at her site, and the ideas she had to strengthen her program and our district. From that early introduction to the present, nearly six years have gone by that I have had the pleasure of knowing Debra, and I have watched her work tirelessly to strengthen and grow her PLTW pathway and make her dreams and ideas into a reality! She has advocated for certification opportunities for her students, started and been the advisor to multiple clubs, and worked to build partnerships with the community to get her students real-world experiences, internships, and jobs.”

Lauren Levy, PLTW Coordinator, Norwalk- La Mirada Unified School District

2023-24 Robert & Patricia Kern Teacher of the Year

Natasha Craft

Pulaski Elementary School | Kentucky • • • • •

K-5th grade Project Lead the Way STEM lab teacher at Pulaski Elementary School in Somerset, KY 27 years of teaching experience Serves as coach for the school VEX IQ Robotics team Director of the Pulaski County School District’s summer STEM camp, Camp Invention PLTW Launch Master Teacher since 2014

“Over the past 26 years, Mrs. Craft has been a dedicated and highly effective teacher of Science and PLTW Launch instructor. She has made a phenomenal impact on all students, kindergarten through fifth grade in our school. Mrs. Craft’s expertise extends far beyond the classroom. She has headed up many extracurricular opportunities for our students and families, one of our most popular being the school’s Robotics Team.

Using important life skills, such as effective communication and teamwork, students learn how to tackle tough problems and find solutions by collecting and evaluating relevant information. They then use the engineering process to design and program robots that successfully reach their objective. Mrs. Natasha Craft is an invaluable asset to Pulaski Elementary and the Pulaski County School District. Because of her love and enthusiasm for the curriculum behind PLTW Launch, our students are excited and on fire about Science, Technology, and Engineering!”

Angela Wilson, Pulaski Elementary Principal

Congratulations to all 2023-24 National PLTW Teacher and Administrator of the Year Award Winners!

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