The Presidential Award is an affirmation of my dedication to teaching both young students and adult educators. It is an energizing sign that I have been meaningfully teaching and leading in my community, state, and nation. Furthermore, this award is a vote of confidence from my mentor and nominator, Mr. Myron Blosser, who has shown me what is possible in the beautiful and challenging world of public education. In many ways, I feel that my journey is just beginning!

Erich Sneller Harrisonburg, VA | 7-12, Science, 2023

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

Erich Sneller has taught for nine years at Harrisonburg High School (HHS). He serves as Assistant Director of Harrisonburg City Public Schools' Governor's STEM Academy. Erich teaches 10th grade Honors STEM Chemistry in English and ninth grade Environmental Science in Spanish. He has also taught earth science at HHS. During the 2023–2024 school year, Erich served as an adjunct professor at James Madison University (JMU), where he taught Education 641: Learning Theories and Practice and Education 630: Inquiry in Education. In all his classroom spaces, Erich and his students explore ideas both through and as inquiry. At HHS, Erich and his students engage with natural phenomena to construct models and propose hypotheses. At the collegiate level, Erich emphasizes purpose-driven pedagogy and deep reflective practices as a means for educators' growth. This school year, Erich served as a co-facilitator for the Virginia Department of Education, leading online workshops for teachers across the state focused on increasing academic dialogue in science classrooms. In 2021, Erich published a book chapter in Empowering Formal and Informal Leadership While Maintaining Teacher Identity. He is also a co-author for a forthcoming chapter in Justice-Oriented Anchoring Phenomena. For the past eight years, Erich has presented on various education topics at the Virginia Association of Science Teachers Professional Development Institute. He is also an apprentice with The Center for Courage & Renewal. Erich has a B.S. in agronomy, a B.S. in environmental science, and an M.A.T. from Iowa State University of Science and Technology. He then earned a master's certificate in Restorative Justice in Education at Eastern Mennonite University. In 2022, he earned an M.Ed. in teacher leadership from JMU.

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