The Presidential Award is a culmination of years of others pouring into me, me pouring into my students, and my students collaborating and partnering with me to meet their specific needs. Appreciating the wealth and beauty of mathematics was afforded to me by my parents, family, mentors, teachers, professors, administrators, colleagues, and students. I am divinely inspired and grateful for the gifts and talents that I have obtained.

Natalie Johnson Aurora, IL | 7-12, Mathematics, 2017

The official biography below was current at the time of the award. For this awardee's latest biographical information, see their profile page.

Natalie Johnson has been a secondary mathematics teacher for 18 years. For the past eight, she has taught Geometry, Honors Precalculus, Advanced Placement AB and BC Calculus to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Metea Valley High School. Previously, Natalie taught mathematics at Waubonsie Valley High School and the collegiate level. Her love for teaching and motivating others is evident by Natalie’s application of Standards for Mathematical Practice to facilitate learning in and beyond the classroom. Under her tutelage, students have competed and placed in national competitions in robotics, autonomous vehicle challenges, and mathematics. In her classroom, Natalie facilitates learning in various ways including individual work, group work, flipped classrooms and project-based applications to real life. Natalie wrote and administered college test prep curriculum to address the needs of struggling mathematics students. For six years, she benchmarked best practices, collaborated with colleagues, and worked with community partners to deliver best practices that meet student needs. Natalie earned a B.A., cum laude, in pure mathematics from Talladega College, a M.S. in applied mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a M.A., cum laude, in secondary education from Lewis University. She is certified to teach grades 6-12.

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