The Presidential Award is such an honor and it validates years of honing my science teaching skills. However, the bigger award and higher honor is seeing my students embrace science, inquiry, and engineering design. Lighting a spark that leads to a love of science, a STEM career, or just plain old curiosity is what drives me to strive for “excellence in science teaching” every day, every lesson, every year. PAEMST is affirmation that I am doing it right and making a difference.

Michele Cherry Wentzville, MO | 7-12, Science, 2023

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

Michele Cherry has been an educator for more than 30 years and has spent the last 21 years teaching science at Wentzville South Middle School. She previously taught middle school science and mathematics at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic School for three years, third grade with a focus on science at Statesville Road Elementary School for three and a half years, and middle school mathematics and computers at Community Day School/Solomon Schecter for three and a half years. Michele is known for integrating a multifaceted differentiation system, utilizing levels, layers, and tiers. Her approach emphasizes student choice and student ownership in the classroom. This has led to presenting sessions on this system at school, district, and state conferences. Michele earned a B.S. in elementary education from Lock Haven University and a Master of Education: Reading Specialist degree from Duquesne University. She is certified in elementary education, middle school science education, middle school mathematics education, and as a reading specialist.

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