Being selected for the Presidential Award is the ultimate glass ceiling to shatter. This award would be a recognition of my persistence, determination, and family's support in the face of challenges. As a teacher, this award validates my ongoing collaboration efforts with colleagues as well as my work in and outside of the classroom to create lessons and a classroom culture that fosters equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Yajaira Fuentes-Tauber Fort Collins, CO | 7-12, Science, 2023

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

Yajaira Fuentes-Tauber has been an educator for 17 years and has spent the last three years teaching freshman Biology and 10th-12th grade Zoology at Rocky Mountain High School. She spent the previous five years teaching at Northridge High School and spent her first eight years as a teacher at Rivera High School. Yajaira’s passion for advancing equitable access to STEM education inspires her to collaborate in curriculum development, present at state and national conferences, and serve as the Colorado Association of Science Teachers' Region One Secondary Director. In the classroom, Yajaira brings complex phenomena to life with innovative modeling strategies and investigations that meet the needs of diverse learners. She encourages students to be the change and take action by developing proposals with implementable solutions that address natural hazards, improving watersheds, and protecting the environment. Her students have entered National Geographic’s Slingshot Challenge and have secured funding from the Caring for Our Watersheds Contest and the Colorado RISE Challenge to bring their solutions to life. Yajaira has a B.S. in biology from the University of Texas at Brownsville; an M.S. in science education from Oregon State University; and an Ed.D. in organizational leadership from California Coast University. She is certified in science education for grades 7-12.

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