Rewarding teaching excellence in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math is much needed and rarely done at the high school level, but I recognized an opportunity it posed to also bring attention to and inspire the efforts of all STEM educators. Knowing how the STEM fields are key to the economic vitality of my hometown in Northwest Florida, I set out through the Paul Hsu Foundation and with the partnership of the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce, to develop a program to address this need. Paul Hsu Foundation Teaching Excellence Awards in Math and Science (PHF TEAMS) was born last Fall when we asked our community, teachers, students and parents to nominate STEM educators making a difference in area high schools of North Okaloosa County. The finalists participated in a thorough application process and two top tier teachers were selected to win $5000 with special recognition at a Chamber Breakfast event surrounded by their peers. On March 5, 2015, we celebrated the first PHF TEAMS winners and finalists, making a difference for the next generation of STEM innovators.
Watch a clip by clicking on the image below showing the WEAR Channel 3 news coverage of the PHF TEAMS Awards ceremony.
The energy at the PHF TEAMS award ceremony was palpable. It was exhilarating to watch the faces of the finalists as we drew closer to announcing the two $5000 award-winning participants. Thanks to a dedicated selection committee and the support of the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce, this program’s first year was a resounding success for both teachers and our community! We intend to continue recognizing teachers through PHF TEAMS and keep up the excitement for STEM in North Okaloosa County.
