Julie Riggins, East Forsyth High School math teacher, was named a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2013, but it wasn’t until this summer that Riggins and the other 107 teachers in the award class were able to meet with the president.
“My best days are when I can help a student see there is math outside the classroom.”
Her success in the classroom led Riggins to the nomination for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the highest honor conferred by the national government on science and math teachers.
“She’s got that ability to make mathematics come alive for her students,” said Velvet Simington, K-12 mathematics program director for the district. “She’s very passionate about math. Her enthusiasm is infectious and she’s able to inspire her students to really strive for excellence.”
Simington nominated Riggins in 2013. The application process was rigorous. It required several pages of written responses on topics like leadership and instructional strategy.
Riggins also had to record a 45-minute video of her in the classroom. She chose a lesson that showed her students engaged and working together to find an equation that would pass through a series of provided points. They worked in groups and each group approached the problem a little differently, which is a sign of a good lesson, Riggins said.
“Unfortunately, I can’t do a really great lesson like that every day, but I think every math teacher has a few of those lessons throughout the year, that spark students’ interest and allow for some discovery learning,” she said.
Riggins’ application impressed. When it came time to select the two teachers who would represent North Carolina — one in science and one in math — Riggins made the cut.
With the award, which is administered by the National Science Foundation on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, winners receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation and a trip for two to Washington, D.C.
During that trip Riggins received the award’s final perk: a certificate signed by President Barack Obama and a handshake from the man himself.
“He was very sincere,” Riggins said. “He really made us feel like we had a very important job, to educate our students to get them ready to be able to have a job.”
Read full article on the Winston-Salem Journal