I go to school every day to just do the best job that I can. I want my students to understand the importance of taking risks and of not being afraid to make mistakes. The most successful people do this every day. The Presidential Award is a real-life example of the importance of these ideas and the fact that we should all strive to be lifelong learners. Serving as a model to my students shows that working hard to reach their fullest potential is the greatest honor and most humbling experience.

Nicole Lemire Pawtucket, RI | K-6, Science, 2020

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

Nicole Lemire has been a teacher in the Pawtucket School Department for 17 years. She currently teaches sixth through eighth grade STEM and technology and spent the previous four years teaching sixth grade science at Samuel Slater Middle School. She previously taught sixth grade science at Nathanael Greene Elementary School for six years. Prior to that, she was a special educator at Joseph Jenks Middle School for her first seven years as an educator. Nicole fills many other roles in the school and district as well. She is Slater's robotics coach and National Junior Honor Society advisor. She is a member of the School Improvement Team, curriculum planning team, and professional development committee. She also serves as a mentor to non-tenured teachers and a district trainer for union sponsored professional development. Nicole's love of teaching started when she was five years old and would play school at home and visit her aunt's classroom. She strives to teach her students the importance of asking questions, thinking critically, using accountable talk, and being real-world problem solvers. She uses models and hands-on experiences to foster curiosity in her students in order to keep them engaged and wanting to remain lifelong learners. Nicole earned her B.S. in elementary education with a concentration in special education from Rhode Island College in 2004 and an M.Ed. in school counseling from Providence College in 2009. She is a certified elementary school teacher, special educator, and school counselor.

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