Adam Haas

Monroe, NC | K-6, Science, 2022

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

What motivates me to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching is the outcome. Watching students grow as problem solvers and critical thinkers as they attack real world, authentic problems is what drives me to do what I do. There are few things more rewarding than watching a child work on a problem they never though they could solve, and then begin to figure it out. I get to see the excitement that then follows once that have gone beyond what they thought they could ever do.

What has been the most transformative moment that affirmed your impact on STEM education?

The most transformative moment that affirmed my impact on STEM education was when a student who once struggled with confidence in science excitedly shared a homemade invention during our school’s STEM night. Watching her proudly explain her design to teachers and peers showed me that STEM is more than just content—it’s about empowering students to see themselves as creators, problem-solvers, and innovators. That moment reminded me that with the right encouragement and opportunities, every student can thrive in STEM. That is when I knew I needed to do all I could to better the STEM education for my students and others.

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

Using my platform as a Presidential Awardee, I hope to advance our nation in STEM by advocating in my school, district, state and country for an increase in STEM education in elementary education. I will show what amazing things our young students can accomplish when given the opportunities to do so. It is imperative that we build on a young child's natural curiosity so they can be prepared to be innovative problem solvers as they navigate life.

Biography

Adam Haas has been an educator for 17 years, all of which he has spent teaching at Rocky River Elementary School. He has taught all subjects to both fourth and fifth grade, as well as fifth grade science on a departmentalized team. Adam is currently the STEM teacher at Rocky River Elementary School, where he focuses on teaching kindergarten through fifth grade students how to become thinkers and problem solvers. Adam built an exemplary science program at Rocky River and consistently maintains that high standard of science-based learning experiences by collaborating with teachers throughout the building and district. Adam strives to provide students at Rocky River with extraordinary, hands-on experiences that promote adaptive problem solving, innovation, critical thinking, and clear communication. Adam’s love of teaching science transcends the classroom. He offers multiple science and STEM afterschool clubs for fourth and fifth graders throughout the year. He also organizes and runs a Science Fair and a student-led STEM Community Night where students from all grade levels demonstrate their love and knowledge of STEM to the school and the community. Adam has been awarded over 10 science and STEM grants that helped support the creation of a robust STEM program at Rocky River. He has also presented sessions on science education at local and state conferences. Adam is National Board Certified as a middle childhood generalist. He is certified to teach kindergarten through sixth grade general elementary education. He was the Rocky River Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2012. Adam earned a B.S., magna cum laude, in education from the State University of New York at Cortland and an M.A. in education from Wingate University.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

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