The Presidential Award is the greatest achievement of my teaching career. This recognition validates that how and what I teach continue to have a positive impact on my students and colleagues. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my passion for science in the hope that it will spark an interest in a future career for my students. Collaborating at the national level with other educators will continue my quest to be a lifelong learner.

Denise Thomas Tulsa, OK | K-6, Science, 2010

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

Denise Thomas has been an educator for 32 years and has spent the last 19 years teaching fifth grade science at Jarman Elementary in the Union Public Schools District. She has also taught at Darnaby and Grove Elementary in the Union Public Schools District. Denise’s love of teaching extends beyond the classroom: she is a science kit trainer for the district and has presented science workshops for the State of Oklahoma. She has mentored 13 intern teachers and is Lead Teacher for fifth grade. Denise was awarded the Oklahoma Elementary Science Teacher of the Year award in 1993. To share with her students first-hand experiences, Denise has traveled to the country of Panama with high school students for a 2-week expedition in the rain forest and has hiked the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. She also completed the Honeywell Space Academy for Educators in Huntsville, AL. Denise is a cofounder of the Northeastern Oklahoma Summer Science Camp for fourth and fifth graders. Denise has a B.S. and master's degree in elementary education from Northeastern State University. She is certified in first through fifth grade elementary education and certified in sixth through eighth grade science, language arts, and social studies. Denise is a National Board Certified Middle Childhood Generalist.

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