Two Iowa educators, Susan Wenger and Brenda Kaufmann, have been named as finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) by the Iowa Department of Education. Wenger, a teacher at Valley Elementary School in Elgin, is nominated for PAEMST Mathematics, while Kaufmann, a second-grade teacher at North Tama Elementary School in Traer, is nominated for PAEMST Science and also serves as the district’s STEM coordinator.
The PAEMST program is the highest recognition that a kindergarten through 12th grade teacher in STEM subjects can receive in the United States. Since its creation in 1983, over 5,200 teachers from all 50 states, Department of Defense Education Activity schools, and six U.S. jurisdictions have been recognized. Award recipients are selected based on their deep content knowledge, ability to motivate students, and positive impact on student achievement. They are seen as role models in their communities and among their colleagues.
In addition to recognition events in Washington D.C., winners will receive a paid trip to the nation’s capital to attend various events and meet with other educators from across the country. They will also receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation to further their professional development opportunities within their respective fields of mathematics or science education. Furthermore, they will receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States as an acknowledgement of their outstanding achievements as educators in STEM subjects.
