BANGOR, Maine — Four Maine teachers are among 213 educators honored by the White House for excellence in teaching math and science to K-12 students.
Cary James of Bangor High School, Lauree Gott of Veazie Community School, Laura Stevens of Dora L. Small Elementary school in South Portland and Marielle Edgecomb of Peninsula School in Winter Harbor are the four winners from Maine.
They each will receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation and have been invited to Washington, D.C., to receive their awards at a ceremony on Sept. 8.
“The recipients of this award are integral to ensuring our students are equipped with critical thinking and problem solving skills that are vital to our nation’s success,” President Barack Obama said in a news release. “As the United States continues to lead the way in the innovation that is shaping our future, these excellent teachers are preparing students from all corners of the country with the science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills that help keep us on the cutting edge.”
James, a 17-year Bangor High School educator, teaches Advanced Placement and honors chemistry courses. He has served as chairman of the school’s science department for the past decade.
Several of his students have earned national recognition under his guidance in recent years — notably Paige Brown, who won the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search and was among 160 seniors named Presidential Scholars this year.
“This award goes out to all of the students and people who have done so much for me to even be considered for this great honor,” James said in a news release. “It validates the work that my students and I have done together to understand the important environmental issues that face our country and world.”
Gott, a 21-year educator with Veazie Community School, also served as co-principal investigator for the Maine Elementary Sciences Partnership. Over the years, her science students have launched rockets, released Atlantic salmon and investigated mock crime scenes.
“My success was made possible through the support of community, colleagues, administration and my students, who taught me that great teaching and learning comes not only from knowledge and passion but also from compassion and understanding that each student is unique, with strengths and challenges — and my job is to help them maximize their strengths and conquer their challenges,” Gott said.
Stevens has been teaching since 1993 and has taught at James Otis Kaler Elementary School in South Portland in addition to Dora L. Small School.
“It honors not only me, but also the teachers, colleagues and administrators who have influenced my teaching practices,” Stevens wrote in a news release reacting to the award. “Most importantly, it celebrates the growth of my students.”
Edgecomb, a 25-year educator and administrator, is in her 14th year at Peninsula School. She has been a leader in mathematics through her involvement with the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Maine, serving as a district representative and is the organization’s president-elect.
“It recognizes the energy and passion I have for mathematics and highlights and celebrates what can happen when students and teachers partner to make learning fun, engaging, and rigorous,” Edgecomb said of the award. “[It] reminds me of the responsibility we have to persevere, take risks and celebrate our work together.”
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter at @nmccrea213.