I am truly honored to receive the Presidential Award and consider it the validation of all the efforts by students, colleagues, family, and friends who have been a part of my development as an scientist and educator over the last 19 years. The award serves as a tremendous platform from which to act as a role model for other teachers and to truly inspire students entering the science or teaching professions.    

Richard Schmidt Fort Washington, PA | 7-12, Science, 2011

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

Rick Schmidt has been a science educator for 19 years and has taught in the Upper Dublin School District since 1993. He is currently an instructor of advanced geosciences and forensics at Upper Dublin High School. Since 2001, Rick has designed four different curriculums never before offered in the school district, including Forensic Science and Advanced Earth and Space Science. In 2009, he successfully brokered a partnership to bring university-accredited science education to the school district for the first time in its history. This partnership brought about the creation of two additional curriculums, Advanced Geosciences I and II. Rick has designed various training sessions and, most recently, presented "The Role of Schools in Creating Weather Aware Communities" at the National Severe Weather Workshop in Norman, OK, in April 2011. Rick’s initiatives have led to recognition by Pennsylvania State University, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, and the Geological Society of America. Rick has a B.S. in secondary education and earth sciences and an M.Ed in curriculum and instruction from Pennsylvania State University. He is currently in the dissertation phase of an Ed.D. in educational leadership at Drexel University. He is certified in secondary earth and space science and general science.

Know a great teacher like Richard Schmidt?