The Presidential Award is a prestigious honor. Teaching science to children opens doors to real-world experiences, and I am grateful that I am able to instill my passion for science in my students. I am fortunate to teach in a community that values education and supports teachers' ideas. I have participated in collaborative experiences that have inspired me to pursue rich, meaningful science opportunities for my students. This recognition will support my ambition to enhance students' minds.

Tauna Johnson Genesee, ID | K-6, Science, 2012

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

Tauna Johnson has taught fifth grade at Genesee Elementary School for 24 years. Tauna's love of science shows when she organizes hands-on Science Nights for families and community members. She has presented at the district, regional, state, and national levels on successfully planning, organizing, and conducting community science nights. Tauna represented the University of Idaho at the National Science Foundation's Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education annual conference in Washington, DC, where she participated in a poster presentation. Tauna works to bring new ideas to her district and has written thousands of dollars worth of grants to help her school. These grants helped buy science equipment, funded science field trips for her students, and funded iPads and other technology for all elementary classrooms. Her latest grant had elementary students engineer a rinsing/recycling station for the school lunchroom. Tauna has strong leadership skills and serves on many district committees. She is a Region Representative for the Idaho Science Teachers Association and a member of the National Science Teachers Association and Northwest Council for Computer Education. Tauna has a B.A. in education from Eastern Washington University and an M.Ed. from the University of Idaho. She is a K through 8 grade certified elementary teacher and a National Board Certified Middle Childhood Generalist.

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