The Presidential Award will honor my lifelong love of science and longevity in cultivating Chicago Public schools students' confidence and intellect to thrive in science. As a child, the Beaubien Forest Preserve across the street from my apartment in the Altgeld Gardens Housing Project gave me free reign to look at plants and insects and explore my natural curiosity. As a 26-year science teacher, I've had the opportunity to infuse Chicago youth with my passion for science.

Nina Hike Chicago, IL | 7-12, Science, 2021

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

Nina Hike has taught 10th-grade chemistry at George Westinghouse College Prep for the past four years. She previously taught chemistry, environmental science, earth science, International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program Biology & Chemistry, Advanced Placement Environmental Science, and IB Biology at Marie Sklodowska Curie Metropolitan High School for 21 years. Nina spent her first three years teaching biology and environmental science at Orr Academy High School. Nina works to incorporate Social Justice Science Issues (SJSI) into her curriculum by having her students examine the chemistry and social issues around current events like the Flint Water Crisis, General Iron, and the "Toxic Donut" in Chicago. For example, this year, her students used PocketLab Air to analyze the air quality inside and outside the school. In addition, several of her student groups shared their SJSI presentations with other Chicago schools at the Youth Participatory Science Conference at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Recently, Nina shared how to use chemistry models to make sense of scientific principles, vocabulary words, and the socioeconomic factors that led to environmental pollution disproportionately harming communities of color at a professional development conference with The Baxter Center for Science Education at Northwestern University. Nina earned a B.S. in biology and a minor in chemistry from UIC, and an M.S. Ed. in secondary education from DePaul University. She is currently working on her doctorate in science education from UIC. Nina is a certified high school science teacher.

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