Nominations window is now open (Nov 21, 2024 - Jan 3, 2025)
Past MiSTEM Educator of the Year Awards
2024
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
Caleb Coon
Beach Middle School, Chelsea School District - Washtenaw County
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Cortney Forner
Northwest Early Elementary - Northwest Community Schools - Jackson County
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Lora Wallich
Michener Elementary, Adrian Public Schools - Lenawee County
Critical Partners Award:
Toyota Motors North America
Accepting for Toyota - Meg Wallace
Video of 2024 Event (being processed, check back for link)
Link to Photos of the event - credits to JD Scott, WCC
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
Caleb Coon
Beach Middle School, Chelsea School District - Washtenaw County
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Cortney Forner
Northwest Early Elementary - Northwest Community Schools - Jackson County
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Lora Wallich
Michener Elementary, Adrian Public Schools - Lenawee County
Critical Partners Award:
Toyota Motors North America
Accepting for Toyota - Meg Wallace
Video of 2024 Event (being processed, check back for link)
Link to Photos of the event - credits to JD Scott, WCC
left to right: Caleb Coon, Lora Wallich, Scott Heister, Meg Wallace, Cortney Forner
2023
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
John Riedeman
Jackson Area Career Center - Jackson County
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Jill Cain
Three Fires Elementary School - Howell Public Schools - Livingston County
Critical Partners Award:
Southeast Michigan Stewardship Initiative (SEMIS)
Accepting for SEMIS - Ethan Lowenstein and Lisa Voelker
Link to Press Release for the event
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
John Riedeman
Jackson Area Career Center - Jackson County
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Jill Cain
Three Fires Elementary School - Howell Public Schools - Livingston County
Critical Partners Award:
Southeast Michigan Stewardship Initiative (SEMIS)
Accepting for SEMIS - Ethan Lowenstein and Lisa Voelker
Link to Press Release for the event
2022
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
Jennifer Mason
Southeast Michigan Center for Science and Industry - Hudson Area Schools
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Khrissy Gilkerson
Eyler Elementary School - Airport Community Schools
Critical Partners Award:
Washtenaw Community College
Accepting for WCC - Amy Carpenter and Susan Dentel
Video of 2021 and 2022 event (combined because of COVID)
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
Jennifer Mason
Southeast Michigan Center for Science and Industry - Hudson Area Schools
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Khrissy Gilkerson
Eyler Elementary School - Airport Community Schools
Critical Partners Award:
Washtenaw Community College
Accepting for WCC - Amy Carpenter and Susan Dentel
Video of 2021 and 2022 event (combined because of COVID)
2021
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
Ron Schaffner
Clinton High School - Clinton Community Schools
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Joseph Walsh
Riverside Intermediate School - Manchester Community Schools
Video of 2021 and 2022 event (combined because of COVID)
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
Ron Schaffner
Clinton High School - Clinton Community Schools
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Joseph Walsh
Riverside Intermediate School - Manchester Community Schools
Video of 2021 and 2022 event (combined because of COVID)
2020
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
Anne Hasseld
Hartland High School - Hartland Consolidated Schools - Livingston County
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Ellen Supers
Luther C. Klager Elementary School - Manchester Community Schools - Washtenaw County
Video of the 2020 Event
STEM Educator of the Year Award:
Anne Hasseld
Hartland High School - Hartland Consolidated Schools - Livingston County
STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award:
Ellen Supers
Luther C. Klager Elementary School - Manchester Community Schools - Washtenaw County
Video of the 2020 Event
Check back to Nominate an Educator for 2024-25 MiSTEM Region 2 Educator(s) of the Year
Information about the MiSTEM Educator of the Year Awards:
Two educators recognized each year:
Criteria (listed in no specific order):
The MiSTEM Recognition Ceremony will be held at Washtenaw Community College as a culminating event of our collaborative STEAM Week activities (Date for 2024-25 Awards -TBD- 6:30-8:30 pm)
Two educators recognized each year:
- STEM Educator of the Year Award: The award recognizes a consistent record of outstanding teaching and related activities in STEM fields, focusing on the last 5 years accomplishments.
- STEM Integration Educator of the Year Award: The award recognizes an educator who primarily teaches outside of traditional STEM-fields and who has a consistent record of integration of STEM-principles and high quality STEM-related experiences for students, focusing on the last 5 years accomplishments.
- In order to ensure that ample evidence on which to evaluate teaching performance is available, educators become eligible after 3-years as a full-time educator.
- Educators must be a full-time K-12/Middle College Educator in the MiSTEM Region 2 area with at least ½ of their contractual time instructing students. Evaluators should understand that great educators do more than excel as a classroom instructor.
- The essence of great teaching is the ability to create highly effective experiences for the learner, where the educator designs situations and fosters experiences which enable the learner to construct meaning for themselves. It should be recognized that contributing to changing the STEM Culture in the community is an important part of being an outstanding STEM Educator.
Criteria (listed in no specific order):
- The educator promotes active learning and successfully encourages students to think imaginatively, critically, and independently.
- The educator promotes a love of learning and develops an appreciation for the relationship between STEM-based content and society.
- The educator supports the learner by building resilience and helping them to learn the advantages of failing forward.
- The educator uses design process thinking and engages students in STEM-based learning experiences.
- The educator interacts enthusiastically and effectively with learners beyond the classroom, creating circumstances to productively to engage learners in STEM-based opportunities to address individual needs of all learners.
- The educator’s pedagogical techniques are appropriate to, and effective with, a variety of different learning styles.
- Any member community may nominate an educator from any public, charter or private K-12/middle college in the MiSTEM Region 2 area for this award by completing this nomination form. The information collected in the nomination process will be used as a part of the selection process.
- The candidates will be invited to complete an educator of the year application and to provide materials that will assist with the evidence criteria listed above.
- In accepting candidacy, the candidates agree to provide the committee with appropriate materials such as teaching certification(s) and agrees to allow release of publicity material associated with the award.
- Winners of the STEM Educator of the Year Award will be:
- Recognized at an MiSTEM Regional VIP Recognition Ceremony,
- Be granted a $1000 MiSTEM Region 2 Grant to use in support of STEM-based experiences in which they are engaging their students,
- Have their educational setting included in a MiSTEM Region 2 promotional video,
- Be invited to be a representative on the MiSTEM Region 2 Steering Committee.
- Awardee(s) will be expected to give a short 3-5 minute acceptance speech at the Awards Ceremony.
The MiSTEM Recognition Ceremony will be held at Washtenaw Community College as a culminating event of our collaborative STEAM Week activities (Date for 2024-25 Awards -TBD- 6:30-8:30 pm)