The Delaware Department of Education has named four Delaware teachers as state finalists for the 2024 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the highest recognition that K-12 STEM teachers can receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Finalists’ applications will now move forward to the national level for final selection of the 2024 PAEMST National Awardees.

The 2024 Delaware state finalists are:

• Brittney Campbell, mathematics, Lake Forest South Elementary School, Lake Forest School District
• Karen Eller, science, The Bancroft School, Christina School District
• Kerry Haley, mathematics, Forwood Elementary School, Brandywine School District 
• Carlos Pesquera, mathematics, H. O. Brittingham Elementary School, Cape Henlopen School District

The goal of the PAEMST award program is to exemplify the highest standards of mathematics and science teaching (including technology, engineering and computer science) in addition to honoring individual achievement. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of STEM education.  The award alternates each year between teachers of kindergarten through 6th grade and those teaching 7th through 12th grades.

Every year each state selects up to three mathematics teachers and three science teachers as state finalists. A national selection committee reviews state finalist applications and selects up to one awardee in each content area for every state. These teachers are recognized for their contributions to teaching and learning and their ability to help students make progress in mathematics and science. As part of the recognition process, the selected national awardees will take part in a weeklong series of networking and professional development activities in Washington, D.C., and receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation.

Find photos of the honorees online here.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

Two students will represent Delaware at the 61^st National Youth Science Camp.

Arya Gupta, a junior at Red Clay Consolidated School District’s Charter School of Wilmington, and Kati Li, a senior at Newark Charter School, will attend the camp from June 29 to July 20 in the mountains of West Virgina.

Gupta is the co-founder of International Genetically Engineered Machine Team, which will be competing at the 2024 Grand Jamboree in Paris.  Gupta is the co-founder of Women’s Empowerment Club and a student leader in the Youth Environmental. She also is a member of the Charter School of Wilmington Swim team and YMCA junior nationals swim team. She has 230 community service hours at many different organizations including the Brandywine Zoo, Multiplying Good, Sojourners’ Place, Spanish National Honor Society, CAB SMArt Summer Camp.

Li, a National Merit Scholarship finalist, has volunteered since 2020 for Delaware Diagnostics Lab. She was a paid summer chemical engineering intern at the University of Delaware.  She has held several leadership positions such as vice president and outreach director of Apollo: Youth in Medicine, state secretary and state treasurer of Delaware Technology Student Association, and Multicultural Club president. She participated in the First Tech Challenge Team 18739-ITNH. She also is a member of Business Professionals of America, Science Olympiad and HOSA. She also is an accomplished violinist.

Hosted in Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia since 1963, the National Youth Science Camp (NYSCamp) is a residential science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) program designed to honor and challenge some of the nation’s rising leaders and provide them with opportunities to engage with STEAM professionals and participate in exciting outdoor activities. Typically, two delegates are selected to attend camp from each state and the District of Columbia.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

Secretary Mark Holodick announced today that Maanvi Sarwadi of MOT Charter School and Runyl Liu of Newark Charter High School have been selected to represent Delaware at the 2023 National Youth Science Camp (NYSCamp).

“This is a prestigious honor and enriching opportunity. Congratulations to Maanvi and Runyl,” Holodick said.

Sarwadi is involved in the Technology Student Association, Science Olympiad, Business Professionals of America, Delaware Speech and Debate Association and was a National Merit Commended student and Delaware Personal Finance Challenge semifinalist.

Liu is a member of the National Chinese and French Honor Society. She is involved in FIRST Robotics, Youth Environmental Summit, YES! and tutors conversational English in her spare time. 

In its 60th year, the NYSCamp is a residential science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) program in the eastern mountains of West Virginia designed to honor and challenge some of the nation’s rising STEAM leaders and provide them with opportunities to engage with STEAM professionals and participate in exciting outdoor activities.

Support from the National Youth Science Academy (formerly the National Youth Science Foundation) allows the students to attend the NYSCamp program free of charge.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

The Delaware Department of Education has named four Delaware teachers as state finalists for the 2023 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the highest recognition that K-12 STEM teachers can receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Finalists’ applications will now move forward to the national level for final selection of the 2023 PAEMST National Awardees.

The 2023 DE State Finalists are:

• Michael Doody, science,  William Penn High School, Colonial School District
• Yavet Respes, mathematics,  P.S. duPont Middle School, Brandywine School District
• Brittney Stewart, mathematics, Caesar Rodney High School, Caesar Rodney School District
• Scott Woodring, mathematics,  Middletown High School, Appoquinimink School District

The goal of the PAEMST award program is to exemplify the highest standards of mathematics and science teaching (including technology, engineering and computer science) in addition to honoring individual achievement. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of STEM education.  The award alternates between teachers of kindergarten through 6th grade and those teaching 7th through 12th grades.  Every year each state selects up to three mathematics teachers and three science teachers as state finalists. A national selection committee reviews state finalist applications and selects up to one awardee in each content area for every state. These teachers are recognized for their contributions to teaching and learning and their ability to help students make progress in mathematics and science. As part of the recognition process, the selected national awardees will take part in a weeklong series of networking and professional development activities in Washington, D.C., and receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation.

Find photos of the honorees online here.

For more information about PAEMST and to see future nomination forms and application instructions, visit paemst.nsf.gov.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

A new African American History Trail at the Iron Hill Museum was funded by a DNREC grant. DNREC photo

With today’s unveiling of a new African American History Trail on the grounds of the Iron Hill Museum and Science Center in Newark, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the 1923 schoolhouse that houses the museum and the unique story of the free Black community that formed on Iron Hill in the 1830s. The trail – along with a new Monarch butterfly waystation and a project that removed invasive plants from the grounds to help clear the way for them – was funded by a Community Environmental Project Fund (CEPF) grant from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

“The CEPF grant program was created to support community environmental restoration projects. This project encompasses a broad spectrum of DNREC’s mission, from historical and cultural education and environmental justice to natural habitat restoration, invasive plant removal and supporting the life cycle of Monarch butterflies,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Today, we also recognized Eagle Scout Cameron Mills, the volunteer who built and installed the trail’s sign posts. DNREC is proud to support and be part of the Iron Hill Museum’s important work.”

“The African American History Trail allows the Iron Hill Museum to broaden its interpretation of the schoolhouse by including the under-recognized history of an independent, long-standing free African American community of landowners on Iron Hill, placing it into the context of a society in which free and enslaved Blacks co-existed before the Civil War. The families remained strong through the post-war periods of reconstruction and the era of segregation, where every-day struggles for economic and educational justice was supported by community church, and family,” said Debbie Keese, museum board member and researcher. “It is hoped that today’s families visiting the site will be able to make comparisons between past and present-day politics, social norms, family structures, and educational practices while inspiring thoughtful discourse about issues of equity and justice, both social and environmental, in a safe, comfortable, and beautiful space.”

The Delaware Academy of Science was established in 1968 with the purpose of promoting science in the First State, and to support their work established the Iron Hill Museum in the former Iron Hill School 112C, one of 87 schools built throughout the state by Pierre S. du Pont to educate Black children in the 1920s. Today its mission continues to promote and preserve scientific education including natural history, archaeology and anthropology of the area, technology, service, museum collections, programs, and community collaborations. A science center was added in 2016, with the schoolhouse now focused on the Black school experience and history of the area and the people who lived there, including Native Americans, free and enslaved African Americans, miners and farm laborers. The museum received a prior CEPF grant for a Pollinator Garden and Education Project.

The Community Environmental Project Fund was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 2004 to provide funds to support environmental restoration projects in communities that were damaged by environmental pollution. The legislation authorizes DNREC to establish a grant fund by withholding 25% of funds collected as penalties for violations of environmental regulations. These funds are returned to the communities where the violations occurred as competitive grants to nonprofit organizations to support community environmental projects. Eligible community environmental projects are pollution mitigation, environmental enhancement recreational opportunities. More information about the program can be found on the DNREC website at de.gov/cepf.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, Joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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