The Carson City School District is pleased to announce Empire Elementary School’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Teacher Adrienne Wiggins has been selected as a Nevada finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the nation’s highest honors for teachers of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science.
Mrs. Wiggins has been at Empire Elementary School for the last 12 years and brought with her vision, commitment and passion to elevate the school and its students. She is particularly proud of the shift she has helped make at Empire when it met the requirements to be designated as an official Governor’s STEM School. That designation came based on national best practices for integrating STEM into daily classroom instruction.
Along the way, Mrs. Wiggins has been a classroom teacher, Math Instructional Coach and the school’s esteemed STEM instructional coach. Her approach, which incorporates real-world problem-solving and technology, has not only boosted her students' achievement but has also ignited a passion for science in her classroom.
State and Jurisdiction PAEMST Finalists represent the most outstanding teachers Nevada has to offer and serve as both a model and an inspiration to students and fellow teachers.
The PAEMST program, administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, recognizes outstanding teachers from across the United States and its territories. Finalists are selected for their deep content knowledge of the subjects they teach and for their ability to motivate students to achieve high academic standards.
Mrs. Wiggins is one of two finalists from Nevada this year. Award winners will be selected from this group later in the year following a rigorous evaluation process. Winners will receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States, a paid trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events, and a $10,000 award from the NSF.
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Left to Right: Heather Crawford-Ferre, State PAEMST coordinator, Adrienne Wiggins, STEM Teacher at Empire Elementary and Jhone Ebert, Nevada's Superintendent of Public Instruction.