The Presidential Award is an honor that represents not only approval and recognition of my local peers and mentors, but also recognition for excellence in my field given by fellow teachers, mathematicians, and scientists at both the state and national levels. To me, it is a seal of approval from our nation that is symbolic. Though it is given to only a few, the few chosen represent the many who give their lives and careers to educate our nation’s young people.

Kara Benson Whitestown, IN | K-6, Mathematics, 2022

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

Kara Benson has been an educator since 1994. She began her career teaching first grade at Sunnyside Elementary in Washington, before teaching pre-kindergarten at Light and Life PreSchool, serving as a Literacy Coach at Stonegate Elementary and Eagle Elementary, and teaching first grade at Stonegate. In 2014, Kara moved to Boone Meadow Elementary School, where she was a STEM teacher and instructional coach for nine years. Kara has taught fifth grade mathematics at Zionsville West Middle School for the past two years. Kara values curiosity, inquiry, and hands-on learning. Through problem solving and authentic contexts, students discover mathematics and science in the world around them. They build and program LEGO robots, tend a garden, solve engineering challenges, and carry out experiments that require them to use the mathematics they are learning. Kara serves on the board of the Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics as Chair of the Equity and Social Justice Committee. She presents at local and regional conferences on effective mathematics teaching practices and has served as an advisor for the Indiana Department of Education in mathematics and science teacher licensing projects. In addition, she belongs to several organizations at the state and national levels including NCTM and NSTA. Kara earned a B.S., summa cum laude, from Greenville College and an M.A. in administration, curriculum, and instruction from Gonzaga University. She studied mathematics teaching and leadership skills through Butler University’s Math Teacher Leadership and Math Teacher Research groups from 2016 to 2019 where her passion for mathematics teaching and learning was ignited.

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