January 22, 1998
NSF PR 98-4
Media contact:
Lee Herring, (703) 306-1070/[email protected]
Program contact:
Janice Earle (703) 306-1614/[email protected]
PRESIDENT CLINTON HONORS NATION'S OUTSTANDING MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHERS
President Clinton has named 214 teachers to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the nation's highest honor for mathematics and science teaching in elementary and secondary schools.
"The degree to which our nation prospers in the 21st century will depend on our abilities to develop scientific and technical talent in our youth," President Clinton said. "These outstanding math and science teachers serve as role models for their colleagues, and help to shape our society, strengthen our educational system and advance our national interests. We honor them for their dedication to leading the fight for the future of America's children by providing them with the tools they need to make the most of their lives."
Teachers nominated for this award go through a rigorous review process ending with White House approval from the president and the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, Dr. John H. Gibbons. Awardees are
selected on the basis of the excellence of their teaching performance, leadership abilities, continuing education activities and dedication as teachers.
The award winners will be given a certificate and their schools will receive a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant of $7,500 to be used under the direction of the awardee over a three-year period. Awardees will also be honored during an event in Washington, D.C., later this year.
Established in 1983 by the White House and administered by NSF, this award is given to up to 216 elementary and secondary school teachers representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Territories and the U.S. Department of Defense school system.
-NSF-
Attachment: Statement by Neal Lane, Director, National Science Foundation.
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NSF is an independent federal agency responsible for fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering, with an annual budget of about $3.3 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states, through grants to more than 2,000 universities and institutions nationwide. NSF receives more than 50,000 requests for funding annually, including at least 30,000 new proposals.
January 22, 1998
Media Contact:
Lee Herring, (703) 306-1070/[email protected]
Program Contact:
Janice Earle (703) 306-1613/[email protected]
Statement by
DR. NEAL LANE DIRECTOR NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Regarding 1997 Winners of Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
I warmly congratulate the 214 winners of the 1997 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation's highest honor for K-12 teachers. Through their dedication, these teachers exemplify our national obligation: to inspire all of our youth in math and science. They view it as a personal mission to ensure that all children--not simply the "best and brightest"--are appropriately challenged to excel in math and science.
Excellent teaching must be made a visible part of our everyday lives. This is why the National Science Foundation has been privileged to administer these awards on behalf of the President for the past 15 years.
These award-winning teachers have mastered excellence. And since we entrust our teachers with the intellectual development of our children, we must work to identify those ingredients that comprise excellence in math or science teaching--and then cultivate those same ingredients in all teachers.
Teachers have a responsibility for our nation's most precious human resource. They nurture the natural curiosity of our children, instilling both a yearning for knowledge and the power to learn, and they weave the wonder of knowing into the daily classroom routine of learning. Fortunately, we know from recent research what makes a world-class math and science teacher: reliance on active instruction and hands-on learning; good academic preparation in the subjects they teach; more time devoted to lifelong learning and professional activities; competence in setting higher instructional goals and objectives; and appropriate use of existing teaching technologies.
How well our teachers perform today determines in large measure the quality of life and health of our society for years to come. Nurturing, encouraging and supporting our teachers is a national obligation.
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