In the past 27 years, I have received countless notes and emails from parents and students thanking me for my work. But to be awarded the highest honor for science teachers is something I cannot begin to define. The Presidential Award validates all of those late nights, weekends, and summer days spent at school, trying to find a way to be more relevant to kids. This award honors that sacrifice, and I am extremely grateful and humbled to be selected. I will continue to shape our future.

Deborah Brock Independence, KY | 7-12, Science, 2017

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

Deborah “Debbie” Brock has been an educator for 28 years and is currently the Academic Program Consultant for Kenton County Schools. She spent 17 years teaching 11th-grade Accelerated Chemistry, 12th-grade Advanced Placement Chemistry, and 12th-grade Physics at Simon Kenton High School. Previously, Debbie taught at South Junior High School and Henderson County High School. Debbie shares her love of chemistry through demonstrations. She believes that strong teaching begins with innovative professional development. To this end, she has presented professional development for her district and has served as a teacher leader in the Northern Kentucky Center for Integrative Natural Science and Mathematics Chemistry Alliance. She is a member of the Kentucky Science Teachers Association and served on its board of directors for nine years, including the executive board as president in 2017 and conference chair in 2018. Debbie participated in writing through-course-tasks, a component of the state Science Assessment System. She also evaluated student work on through-course-tasks, providing exemplars for teachers across the state. Debbie earned a B.A. in education from the University of Kentucky and a M.A. in education from Western Kentucky University. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in adolescent and young adult science. She is certified in secondary mathematics and chemistry.

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