It is an honor and a blessing to receive the Presidential Award. I am dedicating this award to my students who always give me hope for the future and to my family for their endless support. This award is also a tribute to the dedicated, hard-working teaching professionals with whom I have worked throughout my career. I believe that well-delivered, innovative STEM education is the key to meeting our future challenges. When we work together, our students have opportunities to pursue their dreams.

Sharon Jaeschke Gowrie, IA | 7-12, Mathematics, 2019

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Sharon Jaeschke has been an educator for 34 years. She is currently teaching 9th-12th grade Algebra, Statistics, Calculus, Trigonometry, Precalculus, and Math 9 at Southeast Valley High School where she's been teaching for 20 years. She also serves as the assistant cross country coach and robotics coach. Previously, she taught at Cedar/Prairie Valley School for 14 years. Sharon is praised for developing innovative classroom approaches, especially in the fields of trigonometry and statistics. She immerses students in the learning process and challenges them to become agents of change within their communities through data-driven decision making. She is currently developing a course she created, Math 9, which uses mixed-ability grouping for incoming freshmen students. In 2019, Sharon was named the I.O.W.A. STEM Teacher of the Year for the North Central Region in recognition of her dedication toward increasing student interest in STEM fields. Sharon started a robotics team that qualified for state in their first year and set a world record this past season. She has received grants for training at the Space and Rocket Center in Alabama, as well the U.S. Air Force/FIRST leadership academy at Eglin Air Force Base, and the Fulbright Memorial Fund in Japan. Sharon is also passionate about guiding new teachers and sharing her curriculum work. She has served as a teacher mentor for the past 20 years and has presented at the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics State Conference and published multiple articles. In 2012, she became a founding member of the Iowa Pre-Calculus Advisory Council. Sharon earned a B.A. in mathematics and computer science from Central College and a M.S. in school mathematics from Iowa State University. She is certified in 5-12 mathematics and biology.

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