President Obama named Paul Karafiol, a 2001 graduate of the NU-TEACH alternative certification program, one of the 103 recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Karafiol teaches mathematics at Walter Payton High School in Chicago.
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is awarded annually to the best pre-college science and mathematics teachers across the country. The winners are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians and educators following an initial selection process at the state level. Each year the award alternates between teachers teaching kindergarten through 6th grade and those teaching 7th through 12th grades. This year it goes to teachers teaching 7th through 12th grades.
Winners of this Presidential honor receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation and an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for an awards ceremony and several days of educational and celebratory events, including visits with members of Congress and science agency leaders.
Last spring at the National Academy of Sciences, President Obama called on all Americans to join the effort to elevate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education as a national priority. The President's public-private "Educate to Innovate" initiative, which was launched last fall, is intended to inspire students to pursue studies and careers in math and science.
"Science and technology have long been at the core of America's strength and competitiveness, and the scientists and engineers who have led America on its remarkable path to success share something very precious: science and math teachers who brought these critical subjects to life," said President Obama. "We honor some of the best of these teachers and thank them for their dedication. They are inspirations not just to their students, but to the nation and the world."
Also this year, Karafiol was named a Teacher of Distinction by the Golden Apple Foundation. NU-TEACH director Sylvia Smith DeMuth says, "He is one of the most gifted mathematicians I've had the pleasure to work with over the years." He achieved National Board Certification in 2007 and has coached the Payton math team to several state wins. He created the school's student development program, was an initial sponsor of the Gay-Straight Alliance, and created and continues to supervise the school's peer mentoring program. He is the author of two mathematics textbooks and the head author of the national American Regions Mathematics League competition. He is a director on the board of the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics and serves on the appeals committee at the state math contest. He has spoken at a variety of local and national conferences.
Karafiol holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Harvard University and a master's in philosophy and logic from the University of Chicago. He was a mathematics instructor at both Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and Providence-St. Mel School in Chicago before joining the NU-TEACH program.