Schools

Dunwoody Science Teacher Earns Presidential Honor

Amanda McGehee is one of 85 teachers nationwide to receive Presidential Award for Excellence

A Dunwoody Elementary School teacher stepped into the Presidential spotlight Thursday when she was announced as one the Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Amanda McGehee was one of two teachers in Georgia to get the award and 85 teachers across the country.

"I am ecstatic and honored!" McGehee said in an email Thursday night. "I look forward to discussing current issues in education with other teachers and to hear various perspectives from the awardees from across the United States."

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According to a White House press release, the award honors outstanding K-12 teachers in math and science. Each year, the awards alternate between K-6 and 7-12, with this year's awards focusing on K-6. The winners were selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians and educators.

“The teachers we honor today have demonstrated uncommon skill and devotion in the classroom, nurturing the young minds of tomorrow’s science and math leaders,” said President Obama, in a White House statement. “America’s competitiveness rests on the excellence of our citizens in technical fields, and we owe these teachers a debt of gratitude for strengthening America’s prosperity.”

Find out what's happening in Dunwoodywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The teachers will get their awards later this year in Washington D.C. Winners will also receive a $10,00 award from the National Science Foundation.

McGehee said she's also looking forward to learning more about the President's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Initiative.

McGehee, who has taught fifth grade Science at Dunwoody Elementary for two years, was voted the for the 2010-2011 school year. Along with teaching, she's very involved in the school's extra curricular activities, including the school's waste reduction efforts, a farm-to-fork club and overseeing a student-led environmental blog. She's also one of the school's Master Gardener Teachers.

Before teaching at Dunwoody Elementary, McGehee taught third and fifth grade at Vanderlyn. She has her bachelor's degree in elementary education and a masters degree, magna cum laude, in educational leadership, both from Florida State University.

Dunwoody-based blogger Sustainable Pattie has done several stories on McGehee's work with the school's gardening program. You can read those stories here.


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