Being awarded the Presidential Award opened doors in my teaching career I would have never known otherwise.

DeLene Hoffner Colorado Springs, CO | K-6, Science, 1999

After receiving the PAEMST award in 1999, DeLene Hoffner spent her award money creating the Pike Peak Regional Science Series for her area teachers. DeLene is a 1986 graduate of Concordia College with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. There she was awarded the YMCA Young Woman of the Year. DeLene is a proud mother of three. In 1999, she completed an MAT degree from Colorado College. Over her 32 years of teaching, DeLene was a kindergarten through fourth grade classroom teacher in Colorado Springs and served as the science specialist, teaching over 500 students weekly. DeLene is involved in science/STEM locally and nationally by serving as the NSTA Elementary Director; Toyota Tapestry judge; various Science Committees; adjunct professor for Preservice teachers, STEM initiatives, and more. Along with teaching full time, DeLene is a facilitator for PLT and PW; a founding member and instructor of eleSTEMary (a month STEM PD for elementary teachers); and, as a hobby, a dance teacher/competitor. She continues to lead teachers as co-chair of the Colorado Science Conference, awards chair and past-president for Colorado Association of Science Teachers, co-chair of the SE Regional Environmental Ed Leadership Council, Society of Elementary Presidential Awardee (Colorado Alumni), and more. She was selected for the first cadre of NSTA/NCTM STEM ambassadors. She's been awarded five Teacher of the Year awards: Lawrence Scadden, Council for Science International, da Vinci Academy, School in the Woods, and Academy D20. She also was an exchange teacher to Australia for a year. Her favorite quote "The joy of teaching is watching caterpillars turn into butterflies." She believes learning is a metamorphosis.

Know a great teacher like DeLene Hoffner? Nominate them for PAEMST!