Wehr recognized by President Obama

On August 22, the White House named Jeffery Wehr, a teacher in Odessa, Wash., as one of 213 recipients from all 50 states and U.S. Territories of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation's highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science. The educators will receive their awards at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on September 8.

With this award, teachers will receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation and will participate in professional development activities, network with fellow STEM educators from across the nation, and receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States while in D.C. for recognition events.

Jeffery Wehr represents the most outstanding teachers America has to offer and serves as both a model and an inspiration to students and fellow teachers.

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is awarded to outstanding K-12 science and mathematics teachers from across the country. Winners are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians and educators following an initial selection process at the state level. Each nomination year of the award alternates between teachers in the kindergarten through 6th grade level, and those teaching 7th through 12th grades. The cohort of awardees named today represent two nomination years, one of teachers in kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms and the other in 7th through 12th grade classrooms.

Winners of this Presidential honor receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion, and are invited to Washington, D.C., for an awards ceremony, as well educational and celebratory events, and visits with members of the Administration.

"The recipients of this award are integral to ensuring our students are equipped with critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are vital to our Nation's success," President Obama said. "As the United States continues to lead the way in the innovation that is shaping our future, these excellent teachers are preparing students from all corners of the country with the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills that help keep us on the cutting-edge."

President Obama and his Administration have taken significant steps to strengthen education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in order to fully harness the promise the nation's students. The President's Educate to Innovate campaign, launched in November 2009, has resulted in more than $1 billion in private investment for improving K-12 STEM education. Additionally, in 2011, the President set an ambitious goal to put 100,000 additional excellent STEM teachers in America's classrooms by 2021. Thanks to the work of more than 280 organizations, 30,000 new STEM teachers have already been trained, and resources are in place to train an additional 70,000 STEM teachers by 2021. In parallel, the President has called for increasing the proficiency of America's existing STEM teachers with a Master Teacher Corps initiative, which would identify the most effective K-12 STEM teachers and support them in a program to propagate their best practices with their peers.

Biographical information provided by: PAEMST Recognition Program

"The Presidential Award is such an outstanding honor, and honestly a testament of our students and colleagues. It is their diligence, perseverance, and creativity in our laboratories that inspire us all. I am honored that my students see me as a scientist who can help guide them toward their own inner-scientist, that they ignite my passion for STEM, and that our collaboration together has recognized us with our nation's highest academic award."

Jeffery Wehr has been an educator and scientist for 19 years. He has spent the last 12 years at Odessa High School, where he currently teaches Integrated Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Programming, and Advanced STEM Research Laboratory. He taught the first six years of his career at J-I High School in Montana.

Jeff is more than a science and engineering teacher; he strives to create scientists and engineers. He and his wife, Julie, are Odessa's secondary science department utilizing a student driven, research-based methodology in their courses. Jeff founded the Advanced STEM Research Laboratory 17 years ago, where his students conduct internationally recognized independent research.

Jeff's teaching methodology earned him the Department of Education's American Star of Teaching Award, the Washington State Regional Teacher of the Year, the National Siemens Founder's Award for STEM Research, and the National Junior Science and Humanities STEM Research Award.

Jeff earned a B.A. in zoological biology, a B.A. in environmental biology, and a minor in music composition from the University of Montana. He earned his M.S. in science education from Montana State University. He received his professional certification in secondary science teaching in Montana and Washington. He is a member of the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society.