Earning the Presidential Award is a distinction beyond what I had ever envisioned for myself as a mathematics educator. Being recognized nationwide allows the love and passion I put in as an educator and leader to reach even greater heights. I am grateful for all family, friends, colleagues, and students who have inspired me throughout my journey. I can't wait to see the opportunities and challenges that await me as a leader in mathematics teaching!

Harvest Tossava Sparks, NV | 7-12, Mathematics, 2021

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

Harvest Tossava has been in the education field for 19 years and has been teaching middle school mathematics for the last nine years. She began her middle school career teaching "at-promise" students at Traner Middle School and served as the Site Co-Coordinator of the Parent Teacher Home Visit Program. Since 2018, Harvest has been an inspiration for enriching mathematics learning at Sky Ranch Middle School. As the Math Department Lead, she encourages her colleagues to integrate practices outside of the textbook while focusing on student-centered learning. She models instruction, sparks fresh ideas, and shares resources around a variety of engaging, research-based strategies. At Sky Ranch, Harvest teaches seventh and eighth grade through a combination of courses in Math 7, Math 7/8, Math 8, and Algebra I. In her classroom, students use stations for student-centered learning led by peer mentors and participate in a flipped classroom using Harvest's YouTube videos. Harvest has also worked closely with her district's middle school mathematics department for over three years to drive effective mathematics instruction outside of her own school site. She is consistently sharing resources and now teaches a summer course open to all K-12 mathematics teachers that focuses on the power of the 8 Mathematical Practices (National Council of Teaching Mathematics). Harvest was born with a love for mathematics, inspiring others, and continuous learning. She earned her B.S. in elementary education from the University of Phoenix and an M.A.T. in mathematics from Mount Holyoke College. She has earned multiple awards for being a dedicated home visit teacher in her district, as well as a leader in her school in positive behavior supports and intervention practices.

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