The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching represents an acknowledgment of superlative success in an area that is every teacher’s guidepost, the attributes of effective teaching. Being recognized by the President of the United States as a leader for exemplary science and math teaching gives a teacher the confidence to help and lead other educators and to aspire to do even more to advance the future of STEM education in our country.

Margaret Hawkins lebanon, TN | K-6, Science, 2012

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

Margie Hawkins is a sixth grade science teacher at Winfree Bryant Middle School. She has taught for 11 years.  Previously, she taught sixth grade at Castle Heights Upper Elementary, where she launched a Girls’ Science Club, a student-run TV station, Family STEM Nights, and Community Earth Day events. She also coached Science Olympiad teams. Margie and her science club were featured in a PBS NewsHour special, and Margie was named News Channel 2 Educator of the Week. Margie has presented sessions at state and national conferences and has conducted professional development seminars for teachers around the state and a Best Practices in Teaching Science seminar for preservice teachers. She has had her research on academic vocabulary’s effect on low-performing mathematics students published by the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. She was Steering Committee Chair for the National Science Teachers Association’s first STEM Forum & Expo in 2012. She is currently the Master Teacher for Tennessee Tech University’s STEM Around Us program, training elementary teachers to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics lessons, and she emcees the Tennessee STEM Leadership Academy for Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Margie has a B.A. in education and an M.A. in instructional leadership from Tennessee Tech University. She holds a Beginning Administrators License.

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