For me, the PAEMST Presidential Award introduces me to an invaluable network of inspirational educators from which to learn. For my students, it would pave the way for more hands-on experiences that immerse them in science. Yes, we have written curriculum and students are expected to leave understanding content. But, more than that, I want them to leave with a love of science. And this award will help make that happen for more students.

Cecilia Newman Washington, DC | 7-12, Science, 2017

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

For the last 13 years, Cecilia Newman has taught seventh grade Life Science. Now in her eighth year at Alice Deal Middle School, Cecilia teaches 110 students and is the grade-level Department Chair responsible for creating and refining its student-centered curriculum that utilizes effective teaching strategies. Previously, she taught for five years at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School. Cecilia is especially proud of the engineering labs her team designed, providing students with authentic problem-solving experience to apply their scientific understanding. That passion to provide students with real-world applications inspires her to host a weekly in-classroom scientist from the National Institutes of Health. She also coordinates speaker visits for students, including a pediatric cardiac biomedical engineer and a science reporter. Cecilia has attended and presented at multiple conferences, including the National Science Teacher Association Conferences, the EduTech Conference in Brisbane Australia, and the State Educational Technology Directors Association Conference. After studying elementary education and biology at American University, Cecilia went on to earn a Master's degree in school administration and supervision from Johns Hopkins University. She is certified in elementary education and secondary biology.

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