West Virginia Teachers Triumph with Prestigious Presidential Honor in Math and Science

Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) commends four educators from the state who have been awarded the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Across the nation, 336 teachers and mentors were honored in the latest edition of this esteemed award, which also includes the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). Both awards celebrate the significant impact that educators have in molding the future generation of teachers and encouraging the STEM fields of science, math, and engineering.

The West Virginia educators awarded the PAEMST are:

Kerianne Smead, with 12 years of teaching experience, currently instructs mathematics at Morgantown High School located in Monongalia County. She has previously taught at Fairmont Senior High School, Preston High School, and Greenbrier East High School. Smead is a Mountaineer Mathematics Master Teacher (M3T) Fellow, backed by a National Science Foundation Grant. She collaborates with colleagues to devise creative solutions addressing classroom challenges and encourages more students to engage in mathematics throughout the state. Additionally, she has been a presenter at the West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (WVCTM) conference for several years and has been named the 2024 Mathematics Teacher of the Year at the secondary level.

Alicen Adkins serves as a sixth- and seventh-grade science instructor at Moorefield Middle School (MMS) in Hardy County. She holds an Associate of Science Degree in Nuclear Medicine Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Science Education from Fairmont State University. With nine years of teaching experience, Adkins initiated and co-coaches an internationally acclaimed robotics program and participates in her school’s media and leadership teams. She has held roles with the WVDE involving curriculum, assessment, and standards reviews, the Governor’s STEM Institute, and has worked at the NASA Educator Resource Center in Fairmont. Adkins’ accolades comprise the 2019 MMS Teacher of the Year, the 2019 and 2020 Spirit of Hardy County Award, the 2020 West Virginia Outstanding Earth Science Teacher, the Golden Apple Award for Educational Excellence, the 2015 Stark Wilmoth Outstanding Student Teacher Award, and the 2014 NASA Project Achievement Award in Robotics Education.

Renee Haines has been a biology instructor at Martinsburg High School in Berkeley County for 17 years. She attained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and a Master of Arts Degree in Secondary Education from West Virginia University. Haines conceived the Traveling Science Show featuring students from the Science National Honor Society who visit elementary and middle school classrooms to perform hands-on experiments, engaging around 2,000 students annually. Furthermore, she has aided in training colleagues on a districtwide literacy model and crafted interdisciplinary research projects in conjunction with English educators.

Adam Riazi, who has been educating in West Virginia for 17 years, teaches mathematics and computer science at Cabell Midland High School in Cabell County. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, a post-baccalaureate certificate in secondary mathematics education, and a master’s degree in leadership studies from Marshall University. Riazi is a National Board Certified Teacher in adolescent and young adult mathematics and has been recognized as a Mountaineer Mathematics Master Teacher Noyce Fellow, where he fosters, advocates for, and enhances math teacher leadership throughout the state. He is part of both the leadership and professional development teams at his school, where he directs and facilitates all professional learning communities. Additionally, Riazi has received recognition as a Computer Science Teachers Association National Educator Award recipient and has won multiple awards from the National Center for Women and Information Technology.

“It is a privilege for these West Virginia educators to be acknowledged at the national level for their outstanding methods and commitment to their students, colleagues, and communities,” stated State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt. “Each of them brings a distinctive viewpoint to their students, as reflected in their fervor for teaching. We deeply appreciate their dedication and take pride in this achievement.”

Since its formation in 1983, the PAEMST has been recognized as the preeminent award presented by the United States government specifically for K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or computer science instruction. Awardees are chosen for their excellence in the classroom and their commitment to advancing STEM education. Nominees undergo a rigorous application procedure to showcase extensive content knowledge and the capacity to adapt to a diverse array of learners and educational settings. Successful applicants receive a certificate endorsed by the President of the United States, an all-expense-paid journey to a ceremony in the nation’s capital, and $10,000 from the National Science Foundation. Over 5,200 educators have been honored nationally since the award’s inception.

Discover more on the PAEMST website.