Dexter educator Saunders earns White House science teaching honor

DEXTER — Recently the White House named Alyson Lee Saunders, a science teacher at Dexter Regional High School, a recipient of a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). PAEMST are the nation’s highest honors for teachers of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and/or computer science teaching.

With this award teachers will receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation, a certificate signed by President Donald Trump and trip to Washington, D.C. to celebrate their accomplishments. While they are in Washington D.C. honorees will participate in professional development activities and network with fellow STEM educators from across the nation.

Saunders

Saunders represents the most outstanding teachers America has to offer and serves as both a model and an inspiration to students and fellow teachers. She joins three other Maine award winners, Heather Dorr of the Ella Lewis School in Steuben, Kirsten Gould of Buxton Center Elementary School and Priya Natarajan of Casco Bay High School in Portland.

Saunders has taught science at Dexter for 10 years. She currently teaches grade 10 biology, grade 12 advanced biology and grade 9-12 STEM. In addition Saunders has taught chemistry, astronomy and ecology.

In June of 2012 Saunders worked for The Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance as an informal STEM educator. In that capacity, she leveraged out-of-school opportunities to connect youth with potential STEM pathways. Since her return to the classroom, she has used those skills to help students engage with things such as teen science cafes and the Maine State Science Fair.

By working with local government and nonprofits Saunders connects learning to the community through projects involving stormwater management and ecosystem sampling. She has also partnered with the Jackson Laboratory on the Teaching the Genome Generation project, to bring modern biotechnology skills and genomics education to her small rural school.

Saunders is on the school’s leadership team, is a department head, and has facilitated multiple high school and elementary school STEM-related activity nights. She learned a B.S., summa cum laude, in biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a B.S., summa cum laude, in secondary science education from the University of Maine. She is certified in secondary life science.

Established in 1983, PAEMST is the highest award given by the U.S. government to kindergarten through grade 12 teachers of mathematics and science, including computer science. A panel of distinguished mathematicians, scientists and educators at the state and national levels assess the applications before recommending nominees. Teachers are selected based on their distinction in the classroom and dedication to improving science, technology, engineering and math education. Up to 108 educators are recognized each year.

Awardees also join an active network of outstanding educators from throughout the nation. Since 1983, more than 5,000 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. Awardees reflect the expertise and dedication of the nation’s teaching corps, and they demonstrate the positive impact of excellent teachers on student achievement.