I came to the United States as a war refugee after the Vietnam War. All my teachers not only prepared me with skills, but also nurtured me to believe in my true potential. This award recognizes the men and women who have dedicated their lives to preparing the science and mathematics skills of countless generations of students. To be on both the receiving end of this dedication and now to be awarded for this dedication is one of the highest honors for which I am humbled and honored to receive.

Yung Romano Dover, FL | 7-12, Science, 2021

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

Yung Thi Romano has been an educator for 18 years and has spent three serving as the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme Coordinator for Braulio Alonso High School. She previously taught IB Biology at Strawberry Crest High School for six years (five of those years with a 100% pass rate for the IB biology exam), as well as serving as the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) advisor. She has also taught in two other Hillsborough County School District schools, George M. Steinbrenner High School, and C. Leon King High School in the areas of biology, human anatomy and physiology, as well as serving as the Department Chair of Science at King High School. She started her teaching career at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School (BTW) in the areas of biology, human anatomy and physiology, and environmental science. It was during her tenure at BTW that she was named the 2010 Alabama State Teacher of the Year. Yung's leadership roles outside of the classroom include working with the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, the Culture Foundation, VOYA UnSung Heroes, Facebook Live/Teachers Leading partnership, Center of Curriculum Redesign, National Education Association Foundation STEM Advisory Committee, and countless other keynote presentations and panel discussions. Her main educational goal lies not in her professional accomplishments, but rather in her passion to instill how the power of education can lift a student from a life of hopelessness to one of strength to persevere and serve the greater good of the community. Yung earned a B.S., summa cum laude, in secondary education/biology and an M.Ed. from Auburn University Montgomery.

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