The Presidential Award is the highest recognition for years of hard work and denotes excellence developed as a professional. This award is a milestone in the profession and motivates me to continuously better my craft. I strive to inspire students as scientists and mathematicians and use cutting-edge strategies that are not always considered mainstream. My students perform well and are eagerly engaged. This award validates choices I’ve made to instruct students in creative and authentic ways.

Britnie Powell Salt Lake City, UT | K-6, Science, 2014

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

Britnie Powell has taught in the Salt Lake City School District for 10 years. She spent the past seven years teaching sixth grade mathematics, science, and service learning at Salt Lake Center for Science Education. Currently, she is the District Science Coach for Salt Lake City School District. Britnie’s classroom is lined with ukuleles that students use to understand sound energy. Bottles are scattered throughout the room, serving as decomposition chambers. Students often ask, "Was that math or science, Mrs. Powell?" The two subjects are woven together to provide context and application. Students utilize learning to make differences in the community. They mentor kindergartners, perform reader’s theatres on mathematics with residents of a care center, and design and build gardens to understand geometry.  Britnie has developed and facilitated district and state professional development in mathematics and science pedagogy. She was a cooperative teacher for Think Globally, Learn Locally and worked with undergraduate students as a site teacher and a methods course instructor. She presents on service learning and inquiry-based science to preservice teachers. Britnie has a B.S., magna cum laude, in elementary education and a M.Ed. from the University of Utah. She is certified in first through eighth grade elementary education and has endorsements in mathematics, reading, and English as a Second Language.

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