It is difficult to imagine myself doing anything other than being a biology teacher, but my path to this career was somewhat circuitous. As a high school student, I didn’t even want to take a biology course! To my surprise, I enjoyed biology so much that I ended up pursuing a B.S. in Biology at Yale University and a Ph.D. at the University of California, San Diego. My initial goal was to become a plant biologist. Instead, I discovered a love of teaching and a passion for educating scientifically-literate citizens. For the past 14 years, I have taught a variety of life science courses at Sacred Heart Greenwich and have been fortunate to work with amazing young women, who are passionate about wanting to make a difference in the world. In the upcoming school year, I’m looking forward to taking on a new position teaching Science Research and AP Biology at the Masters School.

My main goal as a teacher is to help students love biology and to see it as relevant to their own lives. I aim to engage students in a process of discovery and generate excitement for learning. One of my inspiring teachers (a graduate school professor) said that he became a scientist because he was driven by questions, not facts. This statement has greatly influenced how I approach lesson planning - not a recitation of factual knowledge in biology, but rather with story-telling, critical thinking, and analysis that answers interesting questions while leading to additional questions. Sometimes it is difficult to know whether what we strive for is actually accomplished, and thus the following quote written by a former student on a teaching award from Stanford University was particularly significant to me: “Dr. Gremski taught us to cherish the learning process, value meaningful questioning, and never doubt our abilities.”

I am currently a biotechnology teacher at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical HS. I teach grades 9 -12. I have been teaching Biotech since 2015. Previously I taught Chemistry from 1998 to 2015. I love the field of Biotech. I am involved with the Amgen Bioteach Experience as well as LabXchange and MassBio Ed.   I love teaching and introducing students to the subjects with Biotechnology that relate directly to them.

I believe that in order to teach successfully, a teacher must connect the subject matter to their students. I try to accomplish this by having them use their own DNA to test for Bitterness (PTC), sleep cycle (using a MiniPCR lab), and mtDNA to examine genetic ancestry. My students and I perform labs to check for Lymes Disease in ticks, wolbacchia in insects and study the importance of collecting this knowledge. We also work with middle school students at Higgins Middle School in Peabody MA and bring the skill of pipetting to these students and then return with a gel electrophoresis lab.

I began my biology teaching career in 2005 at the Queens High School of Teaching in Bellerose, NY. After moving to Pennsylvania, I worked in product development in the medical device industry for five years. I have taught at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School as a science instructor in the University Scholars Program since 2015. I currently teach AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and College-Level Human Anatomy & Physiology. I hold a B.S. in Human Physiology from Boston University, an M.A.Ed. in Secondary Science Education from Adelphi University, and an M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University. I also recently began work on a Doctor of Education in Mind, Brain, and Teaching at Johns Hopkins University. I'm an active teacher leader in my school community, currently serving as an instructional coach and a member of the curriculum and professional development planning committees. I have advised my school's middle and high school drama clubs and our high school a cappella ensemble. I currently advise our Biolympiad Club and I mentor students working on science fair projects and other independent research. I have also served as an AP Biology Exam Reader since 2019.

I believe life science education helps students become informed citizens and critical thinkers. It shows them how they are connected to their fellow humans and to the planet as a whole. It illustrates that nothing occurs in a vacuum and that organism, ecosystem, and global events are intricately connected to molecular events. Likewise, community, regional, and nationwide events are intricately connected to individual choices. I believe these foundational concepts help students embrace the value of both unity and diversity across multiple contexts, from evolutionary theory to human civilization. I work hard to create a classroom culture in which my students can study life science deeply and internalize these transcendent ideas while also attending to the specialized vocabulary, intricate laboratory techniques, and complex details of the college-level biology courses that I teach. I go beyond reinforcing a love of learning in my classroom to encourage curiosity. At the core of this inquisitive and supportive classroom culture is my belief that everyone in the room is an essential part of our shared learning adventure. I know my students must be comfortable with one another and with me in order to engage in the vulnerability required to do difficult work together. This mutual rapport is also necessary for every student to see themselves as a valuable contributor and capable scientist.

I earned my B.S. in Biology from DePauw University and a Masters in the Art of Teaching and a Masters in Teacher Leadership from Aurora University. I have taught Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy, AP Biology and Biomedical Science at Downers Grove North for the last 18 years. I am passionate about helping students realize how fun learning about the world can be and that we can Science the heck out of any problem. Over the last eight years I have partnered with the Morton Arboretum, Science Friday, and the National Center for Science Education to help create engaging activities for students to help them develop their habits of inquiry, their pattern recognition skills, and passion for learning. In addition to teaching science I am also the sponsor for the science club and The National Honor Society at our school. When I am not reading or listening to science-related materials I can be found outside honing my naturalist skills with my family.

Teaching is one of the most wonderful experiences I could have ever fallen into and I don’t take its responsibilities lightly. Every year I make it my mission to have my class be one of the best classes each student has ever taken. I truly believe that if you make learning fun you can “trick” any student into understanding some of the most difficult concepts. By taking the mindset that our classroom is more of an educational team, where everyone (students, parents, and teachers) is working together, we all end up learning more. I also believe it is important to be the change you want to see in the world. It is so important for students to see that I deeply care about them as people, learners, and future scientists/stewards for this amazing third rock from the sun. They are our best hope in solving the problems of tomorrow.

I have been a science educator for 22 years, with 20 of those years in Marion Community Schools in Marion, Indiana (my alma mater). I have taught both physical and life science courses. I am the science department chair. I earned a BS and MA from Ball State University and an EdS from Oakland City University. In May 2021, I was named as an Indiana finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. I have been a College Board AP Reader since 2018 and will soon be authorized to serve as a College Board Consultant for AP Biology. I have been a member of NABT since 2017.

Teaching AP Biology has been a privilege and shaped the teaching and learning practices in my classroom, not just in AP Biology, but all of the courses I teach. I want students to work collaboratively, actively learn, learn through discovery, and explore models. You will commonly see students working in teams, building on prior knowledge, and working through activities that require students to analyze data and spiral several concepts and skills together.

My name is Andrew Zenczak and I am a teacher at Brunswick High School, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. I have taught at Brunswick for 7 years and I absolutely love teaching in the community that I grew up in! I graduated from Brunswick in 2010 and nothing makes me happier than to educate and give back to the community that made me the person that I am today. In addition to Biology I teach a STEM program called Project Lead the Way, and I also coach baseball and basketball at the high school. In 2017 I was awarded as a top 100 RESA educator for the state of Ohio, and have recently obtained an award as an outstanding teacher for Project Lead the Way. I like to remind my students that excellence is not an act, it is an attitude! I live my life by these words and it drives me to be a passionate teacher everyday.

In my own classroom as a science teacher, I have used multiple teaching strategies in order to develop as an educator and understand the best educational practices to further student learning. To help students evaluate and analyze scientific data, I enjoy using a multitude of writing formats. When using CER (Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning) strategy, students need to analyze whether a claim can be supported or refuted by using quantitative data as evidence. When the evidence can support the claim, students have to explain their reasoning. I use data collected from the students in order to assist in differentiation opportunities when creating collaborative stations. In order to help students engage in a deeper understanding of a topic, we as educators need to tease the “why” out of our students. Many writing strategies that I use in class all focus on students connecting surface knowledge with real world experiences and understanding the reasoning behind the outcome. Students in my classes also write reflective journals in order to explain whether or not they are interested in certain scientific careers we are reviewing in class. As my students research and organize details about potential employment, students begin to explain how receptive they are to certain careers and how these careers may or may not interfere with their values.

I just finished my sixth year of teaching in Lawrence, Kansas. I am also in my final year of the Knowles Teacher Initiative and am an active member of the Kansas Association of Biology Teachers. I love honing my practice as a teacher and am always looking for ways to improve and support all of my learners. I am very grateful to be a part of so many thriving professional development communities and find true joy in talking all things biology with my fellow teachers!

I believe that ALL students can be strong scientists, and try to foster intense curiosity in my classroom. I strive to make my classroom a safe, fun, and thriving place of learning and love building relationships with my students.

My name is Daryle LaFleur and I am originally from a small town in Wisconsin. I attended the University of Minnesota where I earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in molecular and cellular biology. After working in a lab for a few years, I decided to go back to school to become a teacher. I earned a master’s degree in secondary teaching from the University of Nebraska. After teaching three years in Blair, Nebraska I was hired to teach biology and start an AP biology program in Elkhorn, Nebraska where I have taught for the past 18 years. I have been married to my wonderful wife Rhonda for nearly 23 years. She works as a research scientist for Merck Animal Health and develops vaccines for dogs. We are the proud parents of three children. Brett, who is 21, is going to be a senior at Kansas State University. Jason, who is 19, attends the University of Kansas and will be a sophomore this fall. My daughter, Raeanna, is 16 and just finished her sophomore year of high school. In my free time I play hockey, golf, exercise, watch sports, and spend time with friends and family.

I feel my primary role as a biology teacher is to make sure my students not only understand biology but become problem solvers and develop reasoning skills that transcend science. I sincerely believe that in doing so, students become successful individuals in the community, educated voters, and an essential part of the workforce. I believe students should be actively engaged in their own learning and motivated to perform at their highest level of ability. I feel material must be presented in meaningful, creative, and interesting ways which are best accomplished by utilizing a variety of teaching methods, including traditional educational techniques, as well as innovative approaches. I try to utilize the gradual release model as often as possible, which begins with focused instruction by me (“I do it”), followed by guided instruction/practice (“we do it”), then collaborative learning (“you do it together”), and finally independent learning/release (“you do it alone”). I bring enthusiasm to class each day, and I am constantly reading, collaborating, revising, and improving my instruction to improve student learning. In summary, I love what I do, and I love helping my students achieve their dreams and become lifelong learners.

I have loved science since I was a child, and decided while in high school that I wanted to become a science teacher. I received my BS in Biology and my BSEd in Biology Education from Missouri State University in 2012. During an undergraduate research experience I was struck by how different “real” science was from “classroom” science, and I decided that before teaching science to others I wanted more experience doing science myself. This goal led me to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I completed my MS in Entomology in 2015. My scientific research experience, and its contrast with my experience with science in classroom settings, greatly influenced my teaching philosophy and practice. I teach science with the goal of preparing scientifically literate citizens ready to intelligently address socio-scientific issues. To me, science classes should teach students to ask questions, investigate problems, and debate solutions. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family. My partner, Whitney, and I just celebrated our tenth anniversary. I can honestly say I would not be the teacher that I am without Whitney’s superhuman support (and patience). We have four amazing children, my most important students: Jackson, 8; Quinton, 5; Lynnea, 3; and Huxley, 1.

I began my teaching career in 2015 at the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience in St. Louis, MO, where I taught the PLTW Human Body Systems course, biology, and AP biology. I count myself fortunate to have begun my teaching career surrounded by CSMB’s passionate staff and culturally vibrant student body. In 2017, I transitioned to Festus High School in Festus, MO, where I teach biology, ecology, and anatomy & physiology. I am a Knowles Teacher Initiative Senior Fellow and in 2020 became a National Board Certified Teacher. In the spring of 2021, two of my Festus science colleagues and I began the EDD program in Teacher Leadership at Maryville University. This is just one example of how fortunate I am to work with the excellent science faculty at Festus High School and how much I look forward to what we will accomplish as teachers in the years to come.

I will be starting my 34th year of teaching. I have taught in Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Long Beach, California; Chapel Hill, and Durham, North Carolina (where I am the AP Biology teacher for the Ignite Program). I also teach AP Biology (course lead), Anatomy/Physiology, and Biology with the North Carolina Virtual Public Schools (NCVPS).

Initially, my wife and I wrote four Biology resource books, presented at conferences, and shared our activities. I still enjoy the opportunities to create while teaching in Durham and online through NCVPS. In 2000, I earned my Certification through the National Board Certification process and have renewed twice. In 2010, I was the runner-up teacher of the year for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School District.

In my spare time, I watch my daughter play soccer at Salem College, read AP Biology FRQs for College Board, Read Teacher Entries with National Board, play guitar with my band, and bother my wife.

As a teacher my goal is always to teach the love of Biology by guiding my students through the discovery of biology application and creativity. Throughout my time teaching, I’ve taught at a number of places and a variety of students. In each place, I have attempted to meet the needs of my students and have helped them learn biology by applying the material that they’ve learned.

I teach biology, anatomy and physiology at Ransom Everglades, a historical independent school in Coconut Grove. The collegiate and supportive atmosphere there and at my alma maters - U Buenos Aires, University of Miami and Rockefeller University - provided rich environments to explore and share my passion for science. It is as important to involve younger generations into our discovery process as it is to seek deeper understanding and solutions. A generous donation from a local inventor has given my lab of high school researchers the foundation to study heavy metals' effect on Biscayne Bay sharks and to create technological advances in laser spectrometry and photometrics, in collaboration with engineers and marine scientists from my school and national universities. It has been thanks to my colleagues lending me their teaching strategies that has elevated the content and tone of my classes. I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading and sailing.

I started tutoring math and sailing during my teen years at my school, founded in 1654 for the children of viceroys as the Real Convictorio Carolino, presently the CNBA pre-collegiate path to the University of Buenos Aires. In parallel, I also taught at Buenos Aires slums, where learning under the most arduous circumstances was the only chance to rise out of extreme poverty. My curriculum concentrated on health topics through Socratic discussions and hands-on experimentation with make-do Petri dishes and second-hand antibiotics. Students can change the world when taught how to think about their own critical thinking process and the smart use of available resources - becoming metalearners and metamakers. That is what I have the privilege of doing today. Experiential learning, conscious actions, truthful reports and being sustained by organizations with larger means, allow my students a fast track to generate societal change and to raise paradigm-changing individuals, working as a team without boundaries of knowledge.

I have been teaching at Basha High School for 15 years. I currently teach honors biology 9th grade, honors biology 7th grade, and AP Environmental Science. I am originally from the Detroit area and attended Central Michigan University for my undergrad. While there I double majored in Biology and Earth science and graduated with my B.S in Ed. I also spent a year studying at Biosphere 2 Center through Columbia University, studying conservation biology/sustainability and astronomy. I attended Arizona State University for my masters and graduated with my M.Ed in science curriculum and instruction. I also am a National Board Certified Teacher in adult and adolescent Biology.

My personal philosophy on teaching biology is simple. Teach kids how to do biology in a real sense and show them that biology/science is all around them. I am a firm believer that doing authentic science in the classroom is a must. Therefore, my lessons revolve around lab work and inquiry. In my class you can walk in at any moment and observe my students doing group work, answering questions or analyzing something they have learned. Ultimately, through every technique I implore, my goal is to create well-rounded, educated individuals who are able to make a difference in society. Whether they decide to become a biologist or decide to go into a trade. It is my hope that they take the skills I teach them and use them throughout their life to be a better individual.

I graduated from Rice University with a Biology degree. While there I took part in a Sea Semester program in Woods Hole, MA and fell in love with marine biology. This led me to my first career of working with marine mammals at Sea World in San Antonio. My appreciation of animals and ecosystems solidified, and I was exposed to field work and research. It was here that I was introduced to teaching and my career took a different path (although moving from marine mammals to middle schoolers some would argue is a lateral leap). This will be my 25th year of teaching 7th grade life science. I have been honored to have been named twice as a Master Teacher at my school. I am a member of NABT, NSTA, STAT and NMEA. I love scuba diving, photography and just being “in the field”.

Fundamentally, I am a life-long learner who finds joy in the biological world and continues to explore it. There are two main themes to my teaching philosophy - critical thinking and appreciation of life. I believe that creating joy and awe, fostering a questioning mind, and developing a “big picture” understanding of the world around us, and the interconnectedness of all life, including us, is paramount to the conservation and protection of the planet.

Ultimately, I believe that middle school teaching needs to be holistic in its approach. Students are discovering themselves at the same time as they are discovering the world around them. I want each student to look back on their time with me as a fun journey of exploration, one that they endeavor to continue, and a foundation to the life-long development of their scientific minds.

I received my undergraduate degree from Austin College, in Sherman, TX and my graduate degree in Biology from Texas A&M University at Commerce. I am currently pursuing my doctoral degree in Gifted Education. I have been a teacher for the past 13 years. For the first 10 years I taught AP Environmental Science and AP Biology in Plano, Texas. For the past three years, I have taught in southeastern Colorado at Florence Junior Senior High School where I teach AP Environmental Science, Dual-Credit Biology, and 9th grade Biology. In addition to teaching, I work as a consultant for the National Math and Science Initiative and College Board. In my free time I enjoy hiking, gardening, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

I strongly believe that all students and teachers deserve access to good quality instruction. I try to ensure that my classes and trainings are approachable, fun, and filled with opportunities to practice skills and gain knowledge. I work hard to ensure my classroom is a welcoming place for all students, and a place where students are willing to take risks to grow and learn.

After graduating from UC Davis and working as a field archaeologist I knew that science was my passion and after coaching high school water polo during college, I knew that working with kids gave me purpose. I am lucky to have worked as a science teacher at Helix High School in Southern California for 17 years where I have had the opportunity to grow as an educator. I’ve spent a summer in a lab at the Salk Institute, toured San Diego’s biggest biotechnology companies and stayed a week going behind the scenes at the world-famous San Diego Zoo Safari Park, but empowering students and teachers through science education is still the most fulfilling career I can imagine.

I’d like to thank the National Association of Biology Teachers for this award and for the opportunity to continue learning.