The Sawtooth STEM Educator Award (formerly INDEEDS) is given to two Idaho educators who create unique opportunities for students to experience the fun and excitement of STEM by integrating real-world experiences and hands-on activities into the classroom. Do you know a public-school educator who not only creates unique opportunities for students to experience the fun and excitement of STEM, but who also integrates real-world STEM examples and hands-on activities into the classroom? We are looking for educators that embody just that and we’d love to hear their STEM-azing story!
Educators from two award categories will be selected, one from K-6th and 7th-12th grades. These Idaho educators with a strong commitment to going above and beyond in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) will be chosen by our industry partners.
Who’s eligible: All public K-12 educator nominations are encouraged. Self-nominations are accepted.
EACH RECIPIENT RECEIVES:
- $2,000 individual cash prize from Industry awards
- Up to $3,000 from the Idaho STEM Action Center to attend a national conference related to STEM to advance their professional practices
- The educator’s school will receive $2,000 for STEM initiatives/programs
STATUS: CLOSED
Nomination Schedule
Open: May 1, 2024
Close: August 15, 2024
Award Date: October 11, 2024
2024 Recipients were announced at the Idaho Technology Council’s Hall of Fame Idaho Tech & Idavation Awards on October 11, 2024. See winners and photos below!
INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS
Would you like to partner and help us celebrate these amazing educators? All partnerships qualify for an Idaho Educational Tax Credit or Tax Deduction! Check out the partnership levels below.
- Participate in judging educator nominations
- 1 seat at the Hall of Fame Awards Gala
- Logo on this webpage and in promotional materials
- Social Media highlight of company on STEM Action Center Facebook page
- Participate in judging educator nominations
- 1 seat at the Hall of Fame Awards Gala
- Logo on this webpage and in promotional materials
- Participate in judging educator nominations
- Logo on this webpage and in promotional materials
Thank you to our 2024 Gold Partner!
Thank you to our 2024 Silver Partners!
Thank you to our 2024 Bronze Partners!
Past Winners and Partners for the Sawtooth STEM Educator/INDEEDS Awards
2024 Sawtooth STEM Educator Award Winners
Junsong Su
Junsong was born and raised Kunming, China, and studied Chinese language and literature in Nanjing. After an early career as a journalist, Junsong answered the call to teaching and pursued a degree in Multilingual Education at the University of Northern Colorado. He now teaches 4th-grade immersion Chinese at South Fork Elementary in Rigby, Idaho. The immersion method allows his students to learn the Chinese language quickly by engaging in science and math immersed in a second language. Junsong’s passion for science and technology drives him to continually explore new methods, ensuring that his students stay engaged and grasp the material deeply. Every summer, Junsong attends the i-STEM institutes, learning from fellow educators and industry professionals about the latest trends in STEM. After one such experience, Junsong worked with his principal to introduce a 3D printing glass and start a robotics program at South Fork Elementary. Junsong’s emphasis on hands-on learning and immersion of real-world STEM industry professionals drive his students to deep understanding of STEM concepts.
Todd Anderson
Upon starting his position at Canyon Ridge High School, Todd Anderson started a First Tech Challenge robotics team, which has competed for the last two years. He joined SkillsUSA in the 2023-24 school year, and his advanced engineering students took first, second, and third place in the state 3-Axis Milling Programmer event in April 2024. He has organized and run a virtual reality design summer camp for multilingual learners. Mr. Anderson has advanced the engineering program at Canyon Ridge High School so that it pushes students to build skills in engineering and catalyze their futures in STEM.
Thank you to our 2024 Gold Partner!
Thank you to our 2024 Silver Partners!
Thank you to our 2024 Bronze Partners!
2023 Sawtooth STEM Educator Award Winners
Misti Newby
Newby, the winner in the kindergarten through sixth-grade category, teaches science and STEM in grades 1-8 at Grace Joint School District. She also serves as the Eastern Idaho school district’s girls wrestling coach along with her husband, James, who coaches the boys team. This is her sixth year at Black Canyon Elementary School in Grace and her 19th year teaching, including stints in Wyoming, Montana, and Alaska.
She is passionate about harnessing the transformative power of hands-on problem solving and project-based learning. As the only female science teacher in the district, Newby serves as an important role model for girls interested in science and STEM, according to her colleagues.
“Kids have to know how to be learners and problem solvers,” she said, “I can’t teach them what I don’t know, so I teach them to be learners and ask questions and to answer their own questions.
“My favorite part is seeing the aha moments. There are lots of challenges and frustration, but just having that independence and ownership of their learning provides for bigger celebration after bigger struggles and challenges, too.”
Chad Maxton
Renowned throughout the Caldwell School District for his tireless efforts to expand STEM opportunities, Maxton teaches math, social studies, and pre-engineering to students in grades 6-8 at Syringa Middle School. He has served as a teacher for 32 years, spending all of them in Caldwell.
“STEM is a great thing because it engages the whole mind of the child,” he said. “They have to problem solve, they have to use math, they have to use facts to really make things work. It’s not just a matter of taking a guess at it and not caring about it. If they really want to be successful, they have to keep trying and trying and trying.
“STEM education is critical, because if we don’t develop this kind of mindset in kids — even if they don’t go into a STEM field — I don’t think they’ll be able to tackle things and deal with the adversity that’s out there. It’s really beneficial for them, even if they’re not going to be an engineer, to learn the engineering design process of always going back and fixing the problems and improving on what works.
Thank you to our 2023 Partners!
Gold Partners
Silver Partner
Bronze Partner
2022 INDEEDS Winners
Thank you to our 2022 Partners!
Presenting Partner
Gold Partners
Silver Partners
Bronze Partner
Dr. Kellie Taylor is an elementary teacher in the Boise School District. She currently teaches 2nd and 3rd grade at Hawthorne Elementary, and has just completed her time as a National Museum of African American History and Culture STEM Master Teacher fellow. Kellie also served as a 2018-2019 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., creating STEM and Makerspace activities with primary sources.
Kellie’s teaching career began in 2004 at Ustick Elementary. Since that time, she has earned her masters (2006) and doctorate (2016) in Educational Technology at Boise State University. As an elementary educator, STEM has always been a large part of her classroom. Her use of project-based learning in the general classroom led to a position teaching Kindergarten through 5 engineering. After 11 months away from the classroom for the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, Kellie returned to the general classroom, continuing project-based learning with a strong STEM emphasis through coding, robotics, drones, and hands-on science.
In addition to her work in the classroom, Kellie has written STEM curriculum, coordinated STEM nights, Family Engineering nights, Family Creative Learning workshops, career nights, makerspace, after-school robotics, and 3D printing groups. Her belief in providing accessible opportunities led her to coach First LEGO League, Idaho TECH Challenge, FabSLAM, Junior Botball teams, and MIT NASA Zero Robotics. Kellie was also a part of NASA Microgravity University for Educators in 2017. This project connected over 100 of her students with NASA and allowed them to see their Satellite Launch Experimental Device (SLED) tested live at Johnson Space Center. A total of five educators were a part of the transformational project and professional development. These experiences help to shape educators and students.
Professional development and presenting at national and regional conferences and workshops have had an important influence on Kellie’s career. She has a passion for connecting with other STEM educators and has presented at various conferences, teacher workshops, and webinars since 2013. She strives to fuel her passions so she can share those with students and inspire their passions. Furthermore, Kellie works to mentor colleagues informally by sharing professional development opportunities and collaborating on presentations, workshops, and classroom activities. She is currently leading a project team for the 100Kin10 organization to help make it easier for educators to integrate robotics into core mathematics instruction.
Kellie has been recognized as a 2020 ITEEA Teacher Excellence Award, a 2014 and 2018 State Finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, and Teacher of the Year. She was also chosen for the Mickelson Exxonmobil Teachers Academy, United States Patent and Trademark Office National Summer Teacher Institute, and Space Exploration Educator Crew with Space Center Houston. Kellie is also an active participant in the Idaho STEM Ecosystem serving on the state leadership board and at the regional level for the Southwest Idaho ST3M Hub in region 3.
Kellie’s family has been instrumental in her success by supporting, encouraging, and inspiring her. Her husband and three children have kept her company on late nights studying, attended school events, volunteered in the classroom, and provided warm welcomes after late nights at school. She was inspired to offer the opportunities she does by her own children’s teacher, Laurie Clemens. Laurie supported students in project-based learning and allowed them to fail forward. Kellie looks forward to growing her passions and continuing offering opportunities for students and educators to find and pursue their passions.
Thank you to our 2021 Partners!
Presenting Partner
Gold Partners
Silver Partner
Bronze Partner
Gina Kwid is the elementary engineering teacher at Galileo STEM Academy in Eagle. She has taught second grade, third grade, and engineering in the West Ada School District for 15 years.
Her students engage in robotics, coding, 3-D printing, electronics, space science activities, and environmental science projects. In addition, Gina coaches the afterschool junior botball teams, which compete locally throughout the school year and attend the Global Conference for Educational Robotics each summer. The school’s team won the national championship last year, and Gina was named the outstanding elementary mentor for the program.
She is a makerspace teacher and her school’s STEM night coordinator, plus Gina coaches its Idaho Exhibition of Ideas teams and the amateur radio club. She was awarded an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station proposal in 2019 that allowed students to talk live with an astronaut on the International Space Station via ham radio equipment.
A Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, Gina has presented robotics at the Idaho Education Technology Association conference and twice presented at the Space Exploration Educators Conference at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. She also has attended the Microgravity University for Educators training at NASA and the Teacher’s Institute at the Amateur Radio Relay League’s headquarters in Connecticut.
Gina is excited to see where technology and online learning take her and her students. She is ready to learn new ways of teaching and excited to watch her students grow in this new digital-learning environment.
Tim Gering teaches physical science and STEM at Orofino Junior-Senior High School and is the science department chair. He has taught chemistry, Earth science, and physical science during his two decades as an educator. He completed his master’s degree in educational leadership in 2010 and served as principal at Bonners Ferry High School from 2013-2016.
Tim has spent the last three years building a STEM program at Orofino Junior-Senior High, creating curriculum and writing grants to fund its projects. He also coaches students who compete in the Idaho Science and Engineering Fair.
He looks forward to continuing to challenge his students and building the Orofino Junior-Senior High STEM program. He plans to continue partnering with Idaho businesses to provide his students with real-world experience and employable skills.
Tim and his wife, Kari, live in Orofino. Their twin daughters and son are employed in STEM careers in nursing and construction management, respectively. Their youngest daughter is a student at Orofino Junior-Senior High.
Thank you to our 2020 Partners!
Presenting Partner
Gold Partners
Silver Partner
Bronze Partners
Lynette Leonard is currently the Librarian at Southside Elementary, in Cocolalla, Idaho. She has lived in many states over the years. Lynette is originally from South Jordan, Utah. She has been teaching children over the last 15 years in both formal and non-formal settings. For the last 4 years she has also been teaching literacy, technology classes such as coding, STEAM and much more. Lynette believes every child should have the same access to STEAM skills no matter their geographical location, social economic status and/or ethnicity. This has been a motiving factor for her to bring STEAM resources to the students of the small rural school of Southside Elementary. She has created a makerspace in her library. She incorporates STEAM skills in all her library and computer lab lessons and collaborates with classroom teachers to do the same with their core lessons and projects. Lynette started a 3D printing team and has created a summer STEAM camp, hosted STEAM career nights, implemented a library wax museum night and is an instrumental leader in progressing STEAM education at Southside Elementary. In addition, she has been instrumental in pursuing funding for STEAM programs currently at Southside and continues to do so. Lynette’s dedication to bring STEAM resources to children has her currently working on bringing the first STEAM SmartLab classroom in the state of Idaho to Southside Elementary School.
Her dedication to teach children expands beyond Southside Elementary as she has volunteered or is currently volunteering, in other community organizations such as Cubs Scouts; where she is held many positions including Day Camp Program Director for the Inland Northwest Council, Boy Scouts , Master Naturalist and (SOLE)Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education.
Lynette is a mother of three wonderful sons, who inspire her to help every child aspire to their full potential. She lives and works for children; and their educations and successes are her rewards.
Robin Wilson is a science teacher with the personal and professional objective of connecting students to science and developing their analytical thinking skills to help them become better decision makers as adults. Her teaching style is patterned after her own experiences as a scientist and focuses on providing her students with real-world context and have them “doing science”. Prior to February 2014, Robin Wilson was a professional biologist managing regional, statewide, and national programs in Nevada for over 15 years. When the opportunity to geographically relocate and shift careers came about, Robin transitioned by receiving her Master’s in Teaching and becoming a secondary science teacher. Since August of that same year, Robin has been teaching at Emmett High School, in Idaho, as a biology and chemistry teacher. In this short period of time, she has been successful in accomplishing her objective, with students going on to college in science fields, students participating in various college-ready internship science programs, and strong participation in regional science fair competitions. In 2018, Robin was appointed as Science Department Chair in the Emmett School District and has been working diligently to advance the science program at the Emmett School District. She also oversees her beloved Biology Club. Robin Wilson has a daughter who has a Masters in Civil Engineering and is employed by the Nevada Department of Transportation.
Thank you to our 2019 Partners!
Platinum Partners
Gold Partner
Silver Partners
Bronze Partners
K-6th: John Barenberg, a 3rd grade teacher at Marsing Elementary in Marsing, ID
John has proven himself to be an innovative leader for STEM education not just in his school, but in his entire community. Not only has he taught 3rd grade for 31 years, John has been instrumental in building a one-of-a-kind afterschool and community education program. By partnering with local businesses, community groups, and the municipal government, John has brought students to the table with parents and local leaders to learn about such varied topics as rocketry, 3D printing, agriculture, and weather.
7th-12th: Laura Wommack, a 10th-12th grade teacher at Lakeside Jr-Sr High in Plummer, ID
Laura has been the recipient of several prestigious training and research experiences- from collaborative research opportunities with NASA to a National Geographic trek to learn about Arctic ecology firsthand. Her passion for instruction shows in the ways she provides quality experiences to her students. Laura uses digital methods to connect her students with astronauts, forensic scientists, ecologists, and other STEM professionals.
Thank you to our 2018 Partners!
Gold Partners
Silver Partners
Bronze Partners
Jason George of Vision Charter School
in Caldwell
Paula McElroy of Westside Elementary
School in Payette
Thank you to our 2017 Partners!
Gold Partners
Silver Partners
Bronze Partners
Melyssa Ferro of Syringa Middle School
in Caldwell
Sonia Galaviz of Garfield Elementary
in Boise
Thank you to our 2016 Partners!
Gold Partners
Silver Partners
Bronze Partners
