2025 Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award
The Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award (formally known as the Georgia STEM Scholar Award) recognizes teachers who are working hard to integrate effective STEM education in their classrooms. Don Cargill STEM Scholar teachers demonstrate a passion and determination to provide students with innovative and challenging STEM experiences. Don Cargill STEM Scholars create an atmosphere of exploration that excites, energizes, and equips their students to pursue enhanced educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
We encourage you to apply as a Don Cargill STEM Scholar or nominate a colleague who you think is deserving of this award. Teachers chosen for this distinguished honor will receive a $500 award to outfit their STEM classroom.
Important Dates to Remember:
The 2025 Don Cargill STEM Scholar Application period opens on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
The 2025 Don Cargill STEM Scholar Application period closes on Friday, October 25, 2024.
2025 Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award Recipients will be notified on Friday, November 22, 2024.
The 2025 Awardees will be recognized at the Georgia State Capitol during the week of January 20, 2024
Application Requirements:
A STEM Scholar should be:
- A teacher who demonstrates a passion and determination to provide students, parents, or educators with innovative and challenging STEM experiences, for example:
- Improvements on student success, classroom, school, district, or state STEM data.
- Engagement in receiving or delivering STEM professional development opportunities.
- Engagement in family or parent activities that promote STEM education.
- Engagement with local, state, or national STEM organizations.
- A certified classroom teacher in kindergarten through 8th grade.
- A dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled teacher who is planning to continue in active teaching status for at least two years.
- A teacher who inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn.
- A teacher who has the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues.
- A teacher who can provide a minimum of two letters of recommendation for this award.
Application Requirements (Download our application checklist here):
- Be a certified K-8 educator in Georgia.
- Have never been selected as a Don Cargill STEM Scholar.
- Have completed the Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award Application - Microsoft Form.
- Submit the Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award Lesson/Project Descriptions.
- Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award Application Project Description Form (from the linked fillable PDF)
- Submit a minimum of two letters of recommendation that support your application.
- The recommendations may come from administration, colleagues, coordinators, or others who know of your efforts and effectiveness as an emerging STEM scholar. The recommendations should describe your effectiveness as a STEM teacher and your ability to excite and energize your students with respect to future STEM opportunities.
- Submit a high-resolution professional headshot:
- Please attach a high-resolution professional headshot (preferably the photo taken by your school for the yearbook) of yourself to be used for publicity purposes should you be chosen as a Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award winner.
- Submit the Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award Project Spending Summary
- Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award Application Project Spending Summary (from the linked fillable PDF)
** Please email ALL the following items to gystc@kennesaw.edu to effectively submit your Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award Application. **
The 2026 Don Cargill STEM Scholar Award will be annouced soon! If you are interested in being notified when the 2026 application goes live, please fill out the below form.