Silver Apple Award Winner

Overview

I was honored to receive the Silver Apple Award from Arizona’s Family (3TV/CBS 5) and Arizona Bank & Trust. This award recognizes outstanding Arizona teachers who go above and beyond to inspire and educate their students.

The nomination came from one of my students, eleventh grader Michael Stahl, who wrote about the impact of our engineering program at Hamilton High School.

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Student Recognition

Michael Stahl, who nominated me, shared: “He’s always been there for me, even when I’m not my best. He’s cool. He’s funny. He’s entertaining while he’s teaching, and he’s just awesome!”

Teaching Philosophy

As I shared with Arizona’s Family: “We get to explore things and we get to see how the world works. You get to see kids not just learning how to do math on paper, but how to apply it in a real world situation.”

This hands-on, project-based approach to STEM education truly makes a difference in students’ lives.

The Real Reward

While receiving the Silver Apple Award and the generous $1,000 check from Arizona Bank & Trust was an incredible honor, the real prize is what I experience every day in my classroom: “I’m actually in contact with a lot of my old students and it’s really good to hear back from them. They’ll go on to college, and then they’ll start working for companies like Northrop Grumman or a local company, and they’ll always tell me that the really basic things that they did not think were important in class ended up being super important to help them be successful in college and at their new career.”

Beyond Engineering Class

At Hamilton High School, I sponsor and mentor students in Engineering Club, Robotics Club, and Girls in STEM. These extracurricular programs give students additional opportunities to explore, create, and grow as future engineers and problem-solvers.

Student Success

My students often go on to work at companies like Northrop Grumman and leading tech firms; pursue engineering degrees at top universities; apply classroom lessons to real-world challenges; return as mentors and industry professionals.

About the Award

The Silver Apple Award is sponsored by Arizona Bank & Trust and presented by Arizona’s Family (3TV/CBS 5). The award recognizes outstanding Arizona teachers, celebrates excellence in education, and provides financial support for continued work.

Featured on: Arizona’s Family (3TV/CBS 5)

“It is a great passion in life. I love making things and breaking things and building things, and I get to do all that in engineering.”