Trailblazing STEM Educator Award Open for Nominations 23 September 2024 – 1 December 2024

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The AIAA Foundation honors three outstanding educators for their contributions to the continued study of science, technology, engineering. and mathematics within the classroom and beyond. These awards are presented each year at the Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala.

More information about this award 

Award Recipients

2023

  • Caroline M Little
    Visitation School
    Awarded
    Award: 2023 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award
    AIAA Citation: For creatively breaking down complex STEM principles into easy-to-understand lessons and connecting her students to real-world examples through personal experiences.
  • Taylor C Whisenant
    Athens Renaissance School
    Awarded
    Award: 2023 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award
    AIAA Citation: For developing and leading a robotics program with teams spanning K-12 grades.
  • Aymette Medina
    Odyssey Academy
    Awarded
    Award: 2023 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award
    AIAA Citation: For connecting students' learning experiences within the classroom to the real world

2022

  • Dr Kellie Taylor
    Hawthorne Elementary School
    Awarded
    Award: 2022 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award
    AIAA Citation: For sharing a passion for hands-on STEM education with students and colleagues, connecting them to space education through real-world STEM experiences. 
  • Mrs Jennifer L Cheesman
    Zuni Hills Elementary School
    Awarded
    Award: 2022 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award
    AIAA Citation: For exceptional skill in taking high-level concepts and implementing them in fun and engaging ways with inclusive teaching strategies.
  • Mrs Katrina Williams
    Ames Community School District
    Awarded
    Award: 2022 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award
    AIAA Citation: For enthusiastic pursuit of out-of-this-world K-12 educational experiences, and ingenious connections between real-world STEM topics, classroom education, and students' imaginations, appealing particularly to underrepresented groups
  • Mrs Jackie Blumer
    Greenville Jr. High School
    Awarded
    Award: 2022 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award
    AIAA Citation: For embedding engineering challenges and current aerospace activities into the class curriculum, as well as serving as the AIAA St. Louis Section STEM Chair
  • Mr. Cedric Turner
    Brockton High School
    Awarded
    Award: 2022 Trailblazing STEM Award
    AIAA Citation: For tireless work at Ashfield, South, and North Middle Schools, and Brockton High School, providing inspiration and STEM education to minority and underrepresented students.

2021

  • Mr Mark Westlake
    Saint Thomas Academy
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: for challenging students to ask questions that don’t have answers at the back of the book and to never be content with their first solution.
  • Mrs. Leesa J Hubbard
    Wilson Central High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For enthusiastically using the topic of aerospace education across the curriculum to motivate and inspire students of all ages and abilities throughout 35 years of teaching
  • Dr Suzanne Banas
    South Miami Middle Community School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For creating an innovative classroom environment that instills the desire and capacity to live with compassion, integrity, and wisdom and the knowledge for students to put values into action in meaningful ways

2020

  • Elizabeth L Bero
    Horizon Elementary/Madison City Schools
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For instilling a sense of wonder in students through curiosity-based learning and for her four-decade-long service to the community as an educator
  • Beth M Leavitt
    Wade Hampton High
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For believing that with the right tools and mentors all students can become STEM literate with the confidence they can solve any problem encountered
  • Mr. Scott McComb
    Aviation High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For implementing an outstanding program of aerospace education and creating a supportive classroom community of learners

2019

  • Mrs Charlotte M Cook
    Carver Magnet School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For bringing STEM practices into her school, district, and community by utilizing AIAA and other resources that open students’ eyes to endless possibilities.
  • Mrs. Megan L Tucker
    Hillsboro Charter Academy
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For inspiring a love of STEAM nationally for scholars and colleagues alike using aerospace education, Megan has a passionate mission for creating an ‘Aviation Fascination’!”
  • Ms Patricia C Palazzolo
    Upper St. Clair High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For encouraging students to pursue space- and STEM-related careers through hands-on projects and mentorship.

2017

  • Ms Tracey L Dodrill
    Cocopah Middle School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For truly exemplary contributions to educating and empowering students every day to pursue STEM education and careers.
  • David A Root
    Lyons Township High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding achievement in empowering students through the use of integrative STEM learning activities.
  • Ms Alexandra Kindrat
    St Thomas High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding teaching and sustained excellence in the implementation of authentic teaching practices and AIAA initiatives in the promotion of STEM at the secondary level.
  • Mrs Kathy A Biernat
    St. Mary's Visitation School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For 11 years of teaching science to grades 5-8 and challenging students to continually learn and reach for the stars.
  • Kevin Simmons
    The Weiss School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
    AIAA Citation: For exemplifying what it means to be a true "aerospace teacher" through outstanding leadership and mentorship, thus inspiring students to achieve great things.

2015

  • Mrs Heather Stewart
    Paxton School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Mr Mohamad Omar Barbarji
    West Point High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Kaci A Heins
    Space Center Houston
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Paul A Wiedorn
    Wild Lake High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Gary Garber
    Boston University Academy (High School)
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award

2013

  • Ms Lisa M Damian-Marvin
    Camden Hills Regional High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Dr Joan M Labay-Marquez
    University of the Incarnate Word
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Mr Sean A McCullough
    Anderson Districts I & II Career & Technology Center
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Mr. James A Weber
    Timberland High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Mrs Deborah C Swan
    Windsor Hills Magnet
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Miss Elizabeth M Dabrowski
    Magnificat High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ms Lanena R Berry
    Johnston Middle School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award

2011

  • Benjamin A McLuckie
    Hoonah City Schools
    Awarded
  • Chris Miko
    DiVinci Academy
    Awarded
  • Ms. Jill M Wall
    Farnsworth Aerospace Prek-8 Magnet
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Mr Roger L Kassebaum
    Milken Community High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Dr Carl S Rapp
    Linwood Holton Governor's School
    Awarded
  • Mrs Penny L Glackman
    Merion Elementary School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award

2009

  • Rachael L Manzer
    STEM Magnet School at Annie Fisher
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Mrs. Susan C Jukosky
    Indian River School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Richard L Crawford
    Retired Educator
    Awarded
  • Miss Jeri A Martin
    Thomas L Sims Middle School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ms Lynn M Kollar
    North Ridge Elementary School
    Awarded
  • Ms. Jessica Van Son
    Cascade Middle School
    Awarded
  • Mr Kenneth L Huff
    Williamsville Central School District
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award

2007

  • Lori L Derf
    Savannah-Chatham Public Schools
    Awarded
  • Kareen Borders
    South Kipsap School District
    Awarded
  • Mr. Tim S Spuck
    Oil City Area Senior High School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ms. Nancy C Tashima
    Konawaena High School
    Awarded
  • Mr. Richard D Glueck
    Orono Middle School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ricardo V Soria
    Okaloosa STEMM Center
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award

2005

  • Terry Sue S Fanning
    Moore County Schools
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Mr. Brendan Casey
    Joan MacQueen Middle High School
    Awarded
  • Mr. Brian Jackson
    Ralph McCall School
    Awarded
  • Mrs. Dolores L Garay
    Redd School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award

2003

  • Mr. Brett B Williams
    Fredericksburg High School Aeroscience Program
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ms. Ellen B Holmes
    Maine Education Association
    Awarded
  • Tanya L Wright
    La Sentia Elementary School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ms. Angela G Mitchell
    Windsor Forest High School
    Awarded
  • Ms. Joy D Reeves
    Claremont Math & Science Academy
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award

2000

  • Dr Stephanie M Wright
    Delaware Aerospace Academy
    Awarded
  • Kathleen A Foy
    Crystal Lake Middle School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ms. Penny S Valentini
    Centerville City Schools
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ms. Sara Ewing
    Sheldon R-VII
    Awarded
  • Mrs. Karen K Hall
    La Porte High School
    Awarded

1999

  • Mr Dan Caron
    Gilford High School
    Awarded
  • Ms. Virginia R Davis
    Motlow State Community College
    Awarded
  • Mrs. Carolyn S Harden
    Harden & Associates, Inc.
    Awarded

1997

  • Ms. Juanita V Ryan
    Toyon Elementary School
    Awarded
    Award: AIAA Foundation Educator Achievement Award
  • Ms Juliet Allen Sisk
    Space Coast High School
    Awarded
  • Mr. Stephen M Rocketto
    Civil Air Patrol
    Awarded