The Presidential award is an affirmation of the job that I perform with great passion. It gives me an impetus to learn and discover new teaching tools which will prepare me for a new generation of students. This award motivates me profoundly to delve deep into the techniques of teaching and learning to train my students to face the challenges of the real world. I am humbled, yet thrilled, to receive this prestigious award. I recognize that I represent the excellent science teachers from Maryland.

Radhika Plakkot Huntingtown, MD | 7-12, Science, 2009

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

Radhika Plakkot is a Science Core Lead at Huntingtown High School. She teaches Advanced Placement (AP) Biology and works with special education and regular biology students and teachers on a regular basis. Radhika has a total of 14 years of teaching experience. Radhika’s most outstanding feature is her faith in every student. She is known for her excellent teaching style, instructional rigor, high expectations, and perseverance. Radhika is heavily involved in mentoring and professional development activities. She has given various presentations for teachers at the state and district levels and has written and received several education grants. She is a member of various state- and district-level committees, a content reviewer and standard setter for the Maryland State Department of Education, and an AP reader for the College Board. Radhika was a finalist for Maryland Teacher of the Year and received the Calvert County Teacher of the Year award in 2007. She was a SMECO Outstanding Science Teacher in 2005 and was a finalist for the Tech Council Maryland STEM Educator award. Radhika has a B.S in Biology, a B.Ed, and an M.S in Biology from the University of Calicut, India. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and holds an advanced professional teaching certificate from the State of Maryland.

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