This great honor validates the effort I have made to advocate for science education. My students' curiosity and passion for science made me the science teacher who I am. During my teaching career, I have realized that outstanding science education is a necessity, a right, needed by all students as they move forward in our complex world. It is our responsibility to pursue equal science education for students from all backgrounds. I am hopeful that PAEMST will help me as I advocate for equity. 

James O'Malley Morton Grove, IL | K-6, Science, 2014

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

James O'Malley has been an educator at Thomas A. Edison Elementary School for 22 years. He has been a science specialist, general education inclusion teacher, and is presently teaching fourth grade. James currently serves on the District's STEM Leadership Team.  James' classroom is student-centered, action-packed, and movement-oriented! James taps into students' personal interests, makes every student feel valued, and uses students' innate curiosity as a foundation for learning experiences. In the summer, James has taught science at Chicago Botanic Garden for 15 years. He has received countless grants and created local partnerships with Skokie Valley Kiwanis and an aerospace engineering company. He has been a Field Ambassador, facilitated an after-school NASA Club, and completed a teacher program at the Kennedy Space Center. James is Education Leader for a non-profit serving orphans in Kenya. Additionally, James is a volunteer board member for the Childcare Network of Evanston, whose mission is "to invest in the potential of all children and families through early childhood learning."  James received his B.S. in elementary education and M.A. in learning disabilities from Northeastern Illinois University. James recently completed his doctoral dissertation in educational leadership at National-Louis University. James is a National Board Certified Middle Childhood Generalist. 

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