The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is indeed a prestigious honor. Even though this is an award given to teachers, it is the students who benefit the most. Teachers who follow the current research concerning best practices ensure student success through high school and beyond. To even be considered for this award is truly a humbling experience.

Reneé Yake Iron Mountain, MI | 7-12, Mathematics, 2009

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

Reneé Yake has taught mathematics at Iron Mountain High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for 13 years. Prior to moving to Iron Mountain, Reneé taught for 2 years at Portage Northern High School in Portage, MI. Reneé enhances the classroom environment through the use and application of technology. She has written grants to secure state-of-the-art classroom tools. Her master’s thesis was “Integrating Programming into the High School Mathematics Curriculum.” She has presented at local and state conferences to share the benefits of technology with other educators. Helping students appreciate both the beauty and function of mathematics is part of Reneé’s personal mission. She has a passion for teaching high school students and strives to make mathematics enjoyable. With the inception of the rigorous Michigan Merit Curriculum, Reneé gives her own personal time to help struggling students succeed. Reneé established the first Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus course at Iron Mountain in 2000. She currently teaches AP Calculus, Precalculus, and Algebra 1. Reneé has a B.S. in Secondary Education, Mathematics from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in Mathematics Education from Northern Michigan University.

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