Teacher from Priest River Named Finalist for Prestigious Award

Recognizing Excellence in Math Education

Nicole Anderson, a math teacher at Priest River Lamanna High School, has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). She is one of only three math teachers in Idaho to receive this honor.

Other Idaho Finalists

The other finalists in the math category include:

• Vicki Baker from Timberline High School, Boise School District
• Shelley Nash from Independence Alternative High School, Blackfoot School District

In the science category, finalists include:

• Rylee DeVito from Riverglen Junior High, Boise School District
• Tanya Elmer from Borah High, Boise School District
• Amanda Harris from Middleton Middle School, Middleton School District

A Prestigious Honor

The PAEMST awards are regarded as one of the highest honors for K-12 educators in the STEM fields by the U.S. government. Award winners will be acknowledged by the White House and will receive a certificate signed by the president, along with a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. The announcement of the awardees is expected this summer.