Three Austin educators have landed nominations for the prestigious 2023-2024 STEM Forward Outstanding Educator Award, setting the bar high for excellence in teaching future innovators. The Austin Daily Herald reports that Joee Winter, a math and computer science teacher, Chris Gogolewski, a Project Lead the Way teacher, and Emily Hovland, a Packer Profile coordinator at Austin High School, are the local heroes earning recognition for their dedication to STEM education.
This trio from Austin Public Schools represents a third of the total nominees for the award, indicating significant contributions to the STEM field within their community; in fact, the collaboration with major industry players like IBM and Mayo Clinic only reinforces the weight the honor holds with STEM Forward at its helm, aiming to promote quality STEM education. In a statement obtained by the Austin Daily Herald, Winter shared that "STEM is the future in almost every career path a student will take after high school."
The STEM Forward Outstanding Educator Award is not just any accolade—recognizes K-12 professionals who strive toward the highest levels of excellence … with a focus on initiative and continuous improvement in every aspect of their work, as reported by MyAustin Minnesota. It validates the efforts of K-12 professionals who have shown exceptional initiative in the advancement of STEM education, aptly reflecting the hard work of the Austin cohort.
The winner of the award will be honored at the Annual STEM Forward Gathering on February 21, an event that will be accessible to an even wider audience through a Facebook livestream via Southeast Service Cooperative, now it's not just in the classroom where these educators will have an opportunity to shine but also on the digital stage as their passion for teaching and the success of their methods are acknowledged before peers, professionals, and the public alike.
