SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today congratulated two California teachers being honored this week in Washington, D.C. along with 108 other educators who were named by President Bush as the nation's top secondary mathematics and science teachers for 2005.

Caleb Cheung and Margaret Cagle were selected as finalists by O'Connell last summer for the honor as part of the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). 

"Mr. Cheung's and Ms. Cagle's enthusiasm and innovative teaching methods are precisely what California students need to help them meet our high academic standards," said O'Connell. "They serve as models to emulate, because they have made education compelling and relevant at a time when California is challenging students with more difficult coursework to prepare them for jobs or college." 

Caleb Cheung is California's 2005 Science Awardee. He lives in Oakland and teaches seventh grade life science at Frick Middle School in the Oakland Unified School District. He also chairs the school's science department. Cheung mentors other science teachers and plans special science activities for students and their families. He earned his National Board Certification in 2000.

"Mr. Cheung believes in helping his students develop a curiosity and love for science that will carry them through their studies in school and beyond," said O'Connell. "These are the kinds of gateway skills students need to acquire for more sophisticated and analytical thinking they will need to sustain their career or acquire a higher education."

Margaret Cagle is California's 2005 Mathematics Awardee. She lives in Woodland Hills and teaches eighth grade honors algebra, geometry, and French at Lawrence Gifted/Highly Gifted Magnet in the Los Angeles Unified School District.  Cagle was originally trained as an architect then became an educator after learning there was a critical shortage of math teachers. She earned her National Board Certification in 1999.

"Ms. Cagle has an interesting way of teaching. She has her students take notes in ink rather than pencil and has them correct their notes in a different color ink," said O'Connell. "This helps students embrace the inherent beauty and messiness of learning, while creating a permanent record of their thought processes and building their analytical skills."

The PAEMST program is administered by the National Science Foundation and is designed to recognize teachers whose innovative methods bring science and math to life in the classroom. Each awardee receives a special citation signed by President Bush, a $10,000 cash award from the National Science Foundation to improve science and math instruction, gifts from donors, and a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the award ceremony and participate in other educational and celebratory functions. 

The 108 teachers being honored this week were identified from schools in the 50 states, District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity. Each year, after an initial selection process at the state or territorial level, a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians, and educators recommends the teachers to receive the award from the pool of talented finalists. 

For more on PAEMST, including a complete listing of this year's awardees and information about the nomination and application process, please visit PAEMST [http://www.paemst.org/] (Outside Source).

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EDITOR'S NOTE:  To access pictures and contact information for Cheung and Cagle, please visit PAEMST » Find Awardees [http://www.paemst.org/controllers/awardee.cfc?method=findawardee] (Outside Source).