Thank you for joining GYSTC as we honor 26 recipients of our coveted 2020 Georgia STEM Scholar Awards. This outstanding group of educators was chosen for their thoughtful engagement with their students which, over the last year, resulted in imaginative classroom lessons that taught and support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. As parents, employers and citizens we hope all our teachers are competent, enthusiastic and caring. Our awardees certainly meet and exceed these basic criteria. But what sets them apart and what they are being cited for in these awards are two key factors.

First, they have shown a special aptitude for identifying the unique strengths and potential of their students and have conceived and executed classroom lessons that tap that promise. They have engaged and excited their students’ capacity to learn and build confidence – not only in their ability to master STEM, but to master lessons of successful living.

Second, our recipients also launched student projects whose impact reached past the classroom to involve their entire school community, parents, colleagues, and regional leaders who are STEM professionals and supporters. The far-reaching nature of these efforts in the case of one of our awardees led to recognition on the floor of the U.S. Senate!

Our recipients are winners! Winners for their students. Winners for their communities. Winners for our state, and winners for the teaching profession. They exemplify everything we want and hope our teachers will be. It is our duty and delight to honor them!

Congratulations,