The Presidential Award is empowering and inspires me to work harder for my students and the greater educational community. To be recognized among such an excellent cohort of educational leaders both humbles and challenges me to dig deeper and create innovative learning opportunities. This award is only possible thanks to the collaboration of my colleagues, family, and my curious learners. This experience will forever push me to seek new ways to challenge, inspire, and celebrate my students.

Hilarie Hall Bethesda, MD | K-6, Science, 2014

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

Hilarie Hall has taught science to elementary students for eight years. She currently teaches pre-school through second grade science at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. Previously, she was a second grade and curriculum lead teacher at The Woods Academy. Hilarie has a passion for design-based thinking and enjoys creating challenges that push, inspire, and excite her students. She leads a multi-age design club in which students are encouraged to collaborate, innovate, and think deeply. She also works closely with St. Andrew’s Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) on brain-based educational research. Hilarie has secured grants from Toshiba America, Voya Unsung Heroes, and Dow Chemical. Her students’ project on blast fishing in coral reefs won an award in the DuPont Challenge. She has also developed a food science curriculum with Think Food Group to bring meaningful and hands-on learning experiences to students across multiple grades. Hilarie is a National Association of Independent Schools’ Teacher of the Future and has served on Independent Education’s Emerging Leaders cohort. She has a B.S. in marketing and art history from Boston College and is certified in kindergarten through sixth grade elementary education.

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