Receiving the Presidential Award is a tremendous honor. As an elementary teacher, this award celebrates the efforts of my colleagues to make science meaningful and accessible to our students. I believe today’s science classroom reflects a learning community where risk taking, collaboration, and hands-on learning are necessary. Good teachers are learning alongside their students, culminating in a deeper three-dimensional understanding of content for our future scientists and engineers.

Danielle Rash Bear, DE | K-6, Science, 2018

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

Danielle Rash has been teaching for thirteen years at Olive B. Loss Elementary School in the Appoquinimink School District. She currently teaches third grade in a co-teaching inclusion setting where she creates and accommodates lessons to meet various student needs. Danielle’s enthusiasm engages her students in meaningful, three-dimensional learning. Her passion for collaboration encourages students to stretch their thinking through student questioning and inquiry-based learning. Through exposure to worldly phenomena and innovative problem solving, students develop a comfort taking risks, revising, and reflecting on science and engineering practices. Taking science beyond the classroom, Danielle facilitates bi-annual evening STEM nights for her school, engaging families in hands on STEM activities. Since 2015, Danielle has collaborated with the deep roots outreach program at the University of Delaware, organizing activities that align with Next Generation Science Standards. She served as a next generation teacher leader with the Delaware Department of Education from 2016-2018. Currently she serves as building lead science teacher providing professional development and coaching to her colleagues. Danielle earned a B.A. in European studies from the University of Delaware and a M.Ed. from Wilmington University. She is certified to teacher kindergarten to sixth grade.

Know a great teacher like Danielle Rash?