Six exceptional K-12 STEM teachers from Wisconsin have been recognized as finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recently announced that Debra Heitman, a fifth grade math teacher at Coleman Elementary School in the Coleman School District, and Sheila Kohl, a fifth-sixth grade STEM teacher at West De Pere Intermediate School in the School District of West De Pere, are among the finalists.
Other finalists from Wisconsin include Jacquelynn Bazylewicz, a fifth grade math teacher at Edgewood Elementary in the School District of Greenfield, Melissa Sperle, a fifth grade math teacher at Winskill Elementary School in the Lancaster Community Schools, Mary Ellen Kanthack, a sixth grade science teacher at Brookwood Middle School in the Genoa City Joint 2 School District, and Rhonda Veroeven, a sixth grade science teacher at Glacier Creek Middle School in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District.
These outstanding educators were selected as finalists based on criteria established by state committees as part of the national PAEMST program. Their applications will now be evaluated by a committee organized by the National Science Foundation (NSF), who administers the award on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. One recipient will receive a $10,000 stipend from NSF along with professional development opportunities and will be honored during an award ceremony in Washington D.C. The PAEMST award has been presented annually since 1983 to outstanding K-12 STEM teachers across the country.