Receiving the Presidential Award is a humbling and incredible honor. I feel profoundly blessed to have the opportunity to impact students’ lives on a daily basis, encourage them to seek excellence in everything they do, and inspire them to dream big dreams. This prestigious award is a validation of who I am as an educator; it brings honor to my Lord and Savior, to the many individuals who have inspired and mentored me, and to all of my students--who challenge me to give my best each and every day.

Christy Garvin Powder Springs, GA | K-6, Science, 2012

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

Christy Garvin has been an educator with the Cobb County School District for 20 years and has taught gifted education for the last 16 years at Vaughan Elementary School. She utilizes her deep understanding of science to maximize student learning experiences through real-world, inquiry-based instruction. Her students run simulated space missions, collect data on the health of local streams, and learn to scuba dive. After school, Christy helps with Science Olympiad and the Young Pilot/Astronaut Club. Taking a leadership role in promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, Christy is a member of the Georgia Math Science Roundtable and Network of Educator Astronauts. She conducts scientific research in extreme environments, serves as a mentor, works with Georgia Tech's Programs for Enrichment and Accelerated Knowledge in STEM, writes curriculum for NASA’s Professional Development Network, presents at national conferences, and helped establish a Georgia NASA STEM Day. Christy has been awarded Georgia Science Teacher of the Year and Aviation Hall of Fame Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year. Christy has a B.A. in education and a B.S. in psychology, both summa cum laude, from Presbyterian College and a B.S. in biology and an M.Ed., both summa cum laude, from Kennesaw State University. She is certified in elementary and middle grades and gifted in-field.

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