I am ecstatic that our government continues to recognize excellence in teaching with the Presidential Award. It validates the reality that being a dedicated classroom teacher is a higher calling and is an acknowledgment that gaining mastery of the craft demands your heart and soul. I am continuously grateful for the privilege to teach, to bring passion and infectious energy into the classroom, and for those epiphany moments when everything clicks for a student and the light shines.

Ronald Brown Montpelier, VT | 7-12, Science, 2023

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

Ronald “Randy” Brown has been an educator for over 25 years, including 20 years teaching physics and computer science (CS) at U-32 Middle & High School. He currently teaches 9th–12th grade students in AP CS, several AP Physics courses, introductory courses in engineering and computer programming, and an online AP CS course via the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative. Randy previously taught at the International School of Dakar in Senegal, at the Cooperative Arts and Humanities Magnet High School in Connecticut, and at Norwich University's David Crawford School of Engineering as an adjunct professor. Randy was a Peace Corp Volunteer in Niger and the project manager for the construction of a new campus for the American International School of Bamako in Mali. In Randy’s CS classes, students take on the role of software consultants to design software applications that other teachers can use with their own students to enhance student learning. They then present their creations to faculty members and professional software engineers from the community at a symposium. Outside of the classroom, Randy has coached 15 First Lego League (FLL) robotics teams and is a judge for FLL state tournaments. He has coached American Rocketry Challenge teams for more than 10 years and is a summer instructor for the Engineering Institute for the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont. Randy is a member of the Computer Science Teachers Association and the American Association of Physics Teachers. He has run workshops and presented on topics such as robotics, plasma physics, and wind energy. He works for the College Board as an AP CS A exam grader. Randy has a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Vermont and an M.Ed. from Harvard University. He is certified to teach science in grades 7–12.

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