The Presidential Award is a recognition of the countless hours so many STEM teachers put into their craft. It celebrates our work and those who support us. My effectiveness as an educator is due to numerous mentors, many opportunities for growth, and the support of friends and family. I am honored and humbled to be given this award. Thank you!

Christopher Speck Albuquerque, NM | 7-12, Science, 2023

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

Christopher “Chris” Speck has been an educator for over 20 years and currently teaches eighth grade science at Madison Middle School. He took on this role in 2024 after teaching science and mathematics for nine and a half years at Garfield STEM School. Previously, he spent one year each teaching mathematics at Ernie Pyle Middle School and Madison Middle School. The switch to middle school was preceded by seven years teaching third, fourth, and fifth grade at Tomasita Elementary, and one year each at Edward Gonzales, Painted Sky, and Lowell Elementary Schools. Chris believes that science is a means to understand the world. With this in mind, he developed a curriculum that unites the branches of science. Students engage in hands-on labs to guide inquiry and create understanding. These labs frequently make use of grant-funded materials and above grade–level topics. Chris supplements his professional development in numerous ways. He was a content expert with the New Mexico Public Education Department as part of the High Quality Instructional Materials Initiative; participated in an Arctic expedition as part of his 2023 National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship; and was a visiting teacher at the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology as a visiting teacher. This followed two summers doing inorganic chemistry at Sandia National Labs Advanced Materials Lab. He also regularly presents at the New Mexico Science Teachers Association convention. Chris earned a B.S., cum laude, and an M.A., with distinction, in elementary education from the University of New Mexico. He is certified in kindergarten through eighth grade elementary education in New Mexico with an endorsement in the teaching of English to speakers of other languages.

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