The Presidential Award is a true honor to share with other STEM educators. This award is a significant acknowledgement of the journey that my students and I have had together to continue to learn from one another. It recognizes the critical importance of how mathematics can support students to be curious, collaborative, reflective, and kind. I am grateful for my family, mentors, and colleagues that have always supported me to try new ideas and continue to grow.

Chris Bolognese Gahanna, OH | 7-12, Mathematics, 2021

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

Chris Bolognese has taught Upper School mathematics and computer science at Columbus Academy since 2015. Chris currently teaches students in grades 9–12 in Advanced Calculus and Advanced Placement Computer Science A. For the first five years at Columbus Academy, he served as PK–12 Mathematics Department Chair by organizing professional development opportunities and supporting curriculum advancement. He spent the previous nine years of his 18-year teaching career at Upper Arlington City Schools where he taught high school mathematics and served as the district K–12 Mathematics Teacher Leader. Chris believes in centering his students as creators and problem solvers in his class by regularly asking them to author their own problems through an instructional strategy called “problem posing”. Chris has invited professional mathematicians, such as author Steven Strogatz, to videoconference with his class and talk about the history of calculus. He also co-organized the school’s family mathematics night for Lower School families, launched a national conference called the Mathematics Educators Convergence, and spearheaded the “Math Meets Art” exhibit in the school’s gallery space. Chris is a regular presenter at state, regional, and national conferences where he shares rich tasks, modeling, and mathematical technology such as Desmos. Chris is a facilitator and mentor for Math Teacher Circles, a nationwide community for teachers and mathematicians to play with mathematics. He also serves on the editorial panel for the Mathematical Association of America’s AMC 10/12 competitions. Chris has a B.S. in mathematics, a B.S. in civil engineering, and a Master of Mathematics Education, all from The Ohio State University. He also has an M.S. in mathematics from Texas A&M University.

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