The Presidential Award is a great honor that validates the importance of effective and impactful mathematics instruction. The award not only recognizes the individual awardee but importantly it recognizes the effort and support of the students, teachers, administration, and district leaders. As an educator who now teaches at the same elementary school I once attended as a child, I never dreamed of having the possibility to receive such a prestigious award.

Jason Orlen Millsboro, DE | K-6, Mathematics, 2022

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

Jason Orlen has been an educator for 18 years at East Millsboro Elementary School. He has spent 10 years teaching fifth grade mathematics before taking on the role of East Millsboro's Mathematics Interventionist. He also previously taught third and fourth grades. Jason's desire for public service did not begin with teaching. Before becoming an educator, Jason developed his leadership skills while serving in the military. The leadership skills acquired through his service in the United States Army and during his deployment to Iraq provided the foundational tools needed to be a respected leader within the school community. Developing a love and excitement for learning has always been a priority for Jason and his students. By fostering meaningful relationships with his students, a positive mathematical environment that promotes teamwork, class discussions, learning from mistakes, and the strengths of each learner is created. Acting as a facilitator of learning, students use various strategies, models, and manipulatives to make learning discoveries on their own. Outside of East Millsboro, Jason has taught several educational courses as an adjunct professor at Wilmington University. In addition to his experience teaching children and aspiring educators, he also provides professional development for his district and state. Leveraging his experience with the Bridges in Mathematics curriculum, Jason has led workshops across the nation for schools adopting Bridges. Statewide, Jason is a member of the Delaware Bridges Cadre and the Delaware Math Steering Committee. Jason is a dually-certified teacher who has earned a B.S. in elementary education from Wilmington University and an M.S. in early literacy and mathematics from Walden University.

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