Awarding Excellence

January brought a pleasant surprise for Lyndon Institute math teacher Lara White, who received notification that she had earned the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The news came as a relief considering White’s long wait.

“I applied back in 2021, while I was still teaching at Lyndon Town School,” White said with a chuckle, “so it’s been quite a journey.”

Administrative delays have caused a backlog in recent years, resulting in this year’s White House announcement conferring the honor to more than 300 teachers nationwide for the years 2021, 2022, and 2023.

“I was awarded by President Biden on January 13th, seven days before the end of his term,” noted White. 

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) was established in 1983 and is the highest award K-12 math and science teachers can receive from the federal government. The award alternates each year between the elementary level and the middle school/high school level.

In its press release, the White House says, “Nominees complete a rigorous application process to demonstrate deep content knowledge and an ability to adapt to a broad range of learners and teaching environments. A panel of distinguished mathematicians, scientists, and educators at the state and national levels assess nominations before recommending awardees to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Teachers are selected based on their distinction in the classroom and dedication to improving STEM education.”

According to the PAEMST website, each Presidential Awardee receives a certificate signed by the President of the United States, a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation, and an all-expenses paid trip for an award ceremony at the White House. “In addition, awardees join a national cohort of award-winning teachers, providing opportunities to impact teaching on a state and national scale. The recognition events may include professional development opportunities and discussions with policy makers on how to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.”

For White, the delay was a fitting match for the challenge of applying for the award in the first place. 

“It’s a long process,” White explained. “Your application centers on a deep dive into a math lesson you create, accompanied by a lot of supplemental materials, including your philosophy of education, reflections on assessment practices and the impact of your teaching methods both individually and broadly, as well as participation in professional development.”

The award is self-nominated, taking White several months to complete the initial process. Applicants submit their work at the state level, from which state finalists are picked. “Once you are selected by the state, the state PAEMST review committee offers feedback for revisions, which involves several more weeks of additional work to get the application in the best shape possible before it is submitted at the federal level,” said White.

LI Trustee Dr. Laurie Boswell, another PAEMST recipient, was thrilled to hear about White’s accomplishment. 

"It is a testament to Lara White’s exceptional dedication, skill, and passion for mathematics education,” said Boswell. “This prestigious recognition not only celebrates her outstanding work in the classroom but also brings great honor to Lyndon Institute and the entire community. As a past recipient, I know firsthand the significance of this award, and I couldn’t be prouder to see Lara join this distinguished group of educators. Her students and colleagues are truly fortunate to have her." 

The award is a fitting reflection for a teacher at the top of her game, one who has enjoyed a variety of roles over her more than twenty-year career in education.

“I actually first started teaching science in 2002 at LTS for several years before spending ten years teaching math and science at Danville in both the middle school and high school.”

White left the classroom for a few years, first to work at the state level in the Agency of Education as a math specialist for grades 6-12 math, followed by a stint as a science coach for the Caledonia North school district.

“It was fine, but I really missed teaching. Working with kids is more fun!” White said. So she returned to LTS before finally coming to Lyndon Institute three years ago. 

White now chairs the Math Department at LI and is deeply involved in the world of math education through her involvement in several professional organizations. She belongs to the Vermont Council of Teachers of Mathematics, with whom she served as both secretary and, for four years, president. She is the current president of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in New England, as well as the Vermont representative to the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics.

I asked White how it felt to be teaching at the high school level after spending much of her career with middle schoolers.

“I love it,” she said. “I get to interact with students who are excited about the content. And I like being able to give them time to think about how to increase engagement and share ideas.”

This year, White is primarily teaching Algebra 1, as well as Statistics, a new addition to the department’s curriculum, though LI still offers AP Statistics as an independent study.

“Statistics has such a practical side to it,” White said. “It’s one of the most useful applications of math for all people throughout their life.”

As for settling on math after starting as a science teacher? 

“I love science,” exclaimed White. “There are lots of people who love science. But if you don’t understand math it really limits your science options as a student. Having taught science first really helped me be a better math teacher in terms of appreciating its applications and how important it is to have a depth of understanding. A lot of it is about focusing on patterns, seeing it as a puzzle, and developing a sense of notice and wonder.”

Her colleague, math teacher Tim Ulrich, appreciates this aspect of White’s practice. “Her approach to math is different from most. She really emphasizes curiosity and conjecture. ‘What do you notice? What do you wonder?’ are the questions I hear her asking a lot in the classroom and it seems to pull a lot of students in. She is very deserving of this award.”

Claire Peacock, a senior in White’s Statistics class, also thinks she’s deserving. “Mrs. White works really hard to make sure everyone is involved. She encourages us to send her graphs and charts of things we’re interested in to help make the material more engaging and relatable. I also appreciate how open she is in the classroom—we get to ask her as many questions as we want. Her class is just fun.”

Junior Tyler Schade has had White as a math teacher going all the way back to 8th grade. “She’s very calm in the classroom and great about reviewing and giving extra help. What I appreciate most about her is how she is able to communicate math concepts through everyday examples. She’s also really good at explaining science terms!”

White isn’t the only member of the LI community to have earned the PAEMST. Carol Amos, LI’s EST/504 Coordinator, received the award in 2004 at the elementary school level for her work at Twinfield Union School in Plainfield. 

“It’s such a wonderful award,” Amos said, “in part because it encourages you to go more in-depth into your teaching. For me, it was really an incredible professional development experience. I’m so happy for Lara!”