West High Teacher Named PAEMST Finalist

Todd Vawdrey, a Career and Technical Education teacher at West High School, is one of five 2021 Utah finalists for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government specifically for K–12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teaching. Finalists serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of STEM education. 

In the next step of the selection process, 2021 PAEMST finalists’ applications will be reviewed by a national selection committee. Then, the White House will announce the results of the national selection process. The timing of the announcement depends largely on the White House schedule, but it is predicted to occur in summer/fall 2021. From these five finalists, two will be chosen to be the 2021 Utah PAEMST awardees. They will receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States, a paid trip for two to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events, and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.