The Presidential Award is an honor and a blessing. My passion for science has developed since I was a young child, and it is a privilege to now influence others to wonder, discover, and explore the world around them. I am thankful for wonderful colleagues who share a desire to foster positive attitudes toward science in all students. My goal is to continue to support, design, and advocate for exemplary science programs. This award is a treasure I will always keep in my heart.

Cathy Kindem Apple Valley, MN | K-6, Science, 2012

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

Cathy Kindem has been an educator for 12 years in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District. She is currently the Innovative Educational Programs Coordinator, which includes overseeing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programming. Prior to accepting this position, she was the K-5 Science Specialist at Cedar Park Elementary STEM School for 5 years and was a fifth grade classroom teacher for 6 years.  Cathy’s graduate teaching and research focuses on developing science-teacher enthusiasts, inquiry-based teaching methods, and STEM integration. She has presented sessions on these topics at district, state, and national conferences. Cathy also has experience facilitating professional development and serving as a consultant. Cathy was the recipient of the 2010 Sylvia Shugrue Award for Elementary School Teachers for inquiry-based science teaching, sponsored by the National Science Teachers Association. She also received the 2011 Elementary Science Teacher of the Year Award presented by Medtronic and the Minnesota Science Teachers Association.  Cathy has a B.S., summa cum laude, in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and an M.A., summa cum laude, in education and an Ed.D., summa cum laude, from Hamline University. She is certified in K through sixth grade elementary education and holds a K-12 principal licensure. 

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