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Teachers, Staff Honored Again with State’s Edison Award For STEM Achievements

Sixteen teachers and staff at the Junior/Senior High School have again received The Governor’s Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research. The annual award recognizes excellence during the 2021-2022 school year. The Ohio Academy of Science, which runs the program, recognized 45 school districts and 491 teachers statewide this week. We are incredibly proud of our teachers and the opportunities they provide for our students to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Their dedication to STEM initiatives, effective pedagogy, and student development goes beyond the classroom and helps define the high standards we have as a district. The recent enhancements to our facilities, which include the Foundry, renovated science, art, and STEM classrooms, as well as the new honors scientific research lab, will create more opportunities for our students. Teachers and staff at the Junior/Senior High School have now received the Edison Award nine times in the past 10 years. 

Teachers gathered in classroom

Recipients of the Award for 2021-22 are:

  • B. Tim Adkins, math and science teacher
  • Gerry Davis, STEM teacher
  • Patty Dowd, STEM teacher
  • Diane Drabek, math teacher
  • Dan Feuerstein, math teacher
  • Paul Genzman, math and science teacher
  • Kristin Johnson, art teacher
  • Joan Keckler, math teacher
  • Gloria Kreischer-Gajewicz, science teacher
  • Michael Leeds, instrumental music director
  • Hannah Lehmann, art teacher
  • Jeremy Nixon, science teacher
  • Liz Puskala, science teacher
  • Nicole Silvers, science teacher
  • Brooks Spiess, tech team
  • Anthony Torio, math teacher

Each school receives a special Governor’s Award certificate and each teacher receives a complimentary membership to The Ohio Academy of Science. To be eligible, schools must conduct a local science fair with 12 or more students and have two or more of these students participate in the 2022 Virtual District Science Day; or have six or more students participate in the 2022 Virtual District Science Day when no local has been conducted. In addition, students must participate in at least one more youth science opportunity beyond the classroom. Established in 1985, The Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards recognize Ohio schools and teachers who stimulate scientific student research and technological design and extend opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities. To see the press release from the Ohio Academy of Science click here.