WASHINGTON D.C. – Lisa Holt-Taylor remembers the emotions she felt as she walked across the stage at Deer Park High School in 1978 as a member of the graduating class. She remembers her personal connections with her friends and high school teachers. It was these positive experiences at the high school that fostered her passion for learning and led her to the careers of a nurse, school counselor, and her current position as a science teacher.
“It’s is those positive experiences, feeling of community, and high-quality education that I experienced going through Deer Park that I want to give to my students,” Holt-Taylor said.
Now a third-grade science and social studies teacher and educator for more than 17 years at Boyd E. Smith Elementary in Milford Exempted Village Schools, Holt-Taylor was recently awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government for K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science teachers. As a 2018 Presidential Awardee, she is the K-6 Science Teacher Awardee for the state of Ohio.
“It was a little surreal in the sense that I was chosen to be the 2018 Ohio science educator,” Holt-Taylor said. “It was inspiring to go to Washington, DC, to be a part of professional development with other science and math educators. Being able to collaborate with other educators at a national level, and learning about their experiences was extremely rewarding. What is even more exciting is being able to participate in an ongoing conversation for promoting excellence in science education.”
Like many who have attended Deer Park Schools, Holt-Taylor said,she felt a part of the Deer Park school community and was very connected.
“That is where my love of school comes,” she said. “I had some great high school teachers. I remember when I was a senior, how emotional I was when I had to leave. That always left an impression with me.”
She recalls memories of marching band, choir, track, tennis, and softball. Still, she said it was the connection with teachers and their believing in her that truly sticks out.
“I remember a high school physics teacher that went out of his way to connect with us. He would stay after school to help my friend and I understand our physics assignments. I remember the fun times and the laughter we found while completing those assignments.” Holt-Taylor said. “I liked my math, physics, and chemistry classes. I connected with those teachers, and that’s what fostered my love for science and math.”
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) has been presented since 1983. The Ohio State Board of Education chooses the finalists, and the National Science Foundation decides on the final award. She was presented with this honorable award on October 17, 2019.
“It was truly an honor,” Holt-Taylor said. “The application process was intense. That made it mean that much more. It was a great privilege to be a part of that.”
To see her biography, go to paemst.org.
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