MSMS Teacher Lands Prestigious National Honor

JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) teacher Lauren Zarandona and Brandon Middle School teacher Karin Bowen are among 213 teachers nationwide who will receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) at a recognition ceremony Sept. 8 in Washington, D.C. The ceremony will recognize PAEMST recipients for both the 2014 and 2015 school year.

PAEMST is the highest recognition that a kindergarten through 12^th grade mathematics or science (including computer science) teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Awardees receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation.

ZARANDONA

Zarandona has taught mathematics in Mississippi for 13 years, including five years in the Hollandale School District. For the past eight years, she has taught everything from Algebra II to Advanced Placement Statistics at MSMS, which is a public residential high school for academically gifted and talented 11^th and 12^th graders. She earned a B.S. in physics from Rhodes College, an M.A. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Mississippi, and is National Board Certified.

Bowen is in her eighth year teaching 6^th grade mathematics at Brandon Middle School and previously taught 4^th and 5^th grade general education at Richland Upper Elementary School. She holds a B.A. in elementary education from the University of Mississippi and is National Board Certified in Early Adolescence/Mathematics.