It is an incredible honor to be chosen for the Presidential Award among so many phenomenal teachers. Providing engaging challenges for students and watching them flourish brings me joy. This exhilarating experience allows me to meet educators who share my passion for our craft. To me, this is the ultimate learning opportunity. It is a celebration of the tapestry of teachers in our country, working to provide the most effective, incredible, and meaningful learning experiences for all students.

Crystal Brown Gibraltar, MI | K-6, Science, 2016

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Crystal Brown has been an elementary educator for 15 years at Parsons Elementary School and Downriver STEM at Weiss Elementary. Last year, she was selected as an elementary STEMTech teacher for kindergarten through fifth grade. Crystal has been an ambassador for phenomena-based instruction and engineering in the elementary classroom. Through project-based learning, Crystal’s students consider themselves engineers as they design, build, and test. A cornerstone of her science instruction is productive science-talk. She is passionate about students engaging in evidence-based discussions. Crystal serves as Elementary Director for the Michigan Science Teachers Association. She has presented at many conferences, providing leadership and support. Since joining the board, it has been Crystal’s mission to help teachers connect across the country. She also started #MiSciChat, a monthly Twitter chat providing an opportunity for teachers to discuss meaningful topics and reflect on their craft. Each month, participants tweet ideas and ask questions as they strive to elevate their teaching. Crystal earned a B.A. in elementary education and a M.A., magna cum laude, in curriculum and teaching from Michigan State University. She is certified to teach kindergarten through fifth grade elementary and sixth through eighth grade English and earth science.

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