Teacher of the Year Program
Celebrating 29 years of outstanding K-12 geoscience educators recognized by the AAPG Foundation.
The AAPG Foundation Teacher of the Year Award program is closed indefinitely.
After careful consideration and a comprehensive review by the Foundation Trustees, it was determined that the program is no longer impactful.
Please join us in celebrating the award recipients over the last 29 years.
| Year | Recipient | School |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Claiborne "Clay" Morton | Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Ark. |
| 2024 | Vincente Lorenz | Kokomo High School, Kokomo, Ind. |
| 2023 | Shannon Chatwin | Owasso High School, Owasso, Okla. |
| 2022 | Toshimi Fujikawa | Arroyo High School, San Lorenzo, Calif. |
| 2021 | Sabrina Ewald | Centennial High School, Frisco, Texas |
| 2020 | Rebekah Kienenberger | Arete Preparatory Academy, Gilbert, Ariz. |
| 2019 | Laura Branch | Ernest Righetti High School in Santa Maria, Calif. |
| 2018 | Debbie Morgan | South Sevier High School in Monroe, Utah. |
| 2017 | Julie Mitchell | Erie High School in Erie Colo. |
| 2016 | Karen Waterbury | St. Mary's Catholic School, Mount Carmel, Ill. |
| 2015 | Jacqueline Bath | ThunderRidge High School, Littleton, Colo. |
| 2014 | Heather McArdle | Mahopac High School Mahopac, N.Y. |
| 2013 | Chris Bolhuis | Hudsonville Freshman Campus, Hudsonville, Michigan |
| 2012 | Jonna Gentry | Green Mountain High School, Lakewood, CO |
| 2011 | Sharon Milito | Patrick Henry Elementary, Colorado Springs, CO |
| 2010 | L. Stef Paramoure | Oak Run Middle School, New Braunfels, TX |
| 2009 | Ty Robinson | Provo High School, Provo, UT |
| 2008 | Mary Fitts | Sierra Middle School, Parker, CO |
| 2007 | Ryan Henry | Tulsa Street School, Tulsa, OK |
| 2006 | James Schulz | Helena High School, Helena, MT |
| 2005 | Marilyn Bachman | Montecito Union School, Santa Barbara, CA |
| 2004 | Mike Fillipow | Polytechnic High School, Long Beach, CA |
| 2003 | Amy J. John | BseBitAi Middle School, Shiprock, NM |
| 2002 | Kevin Leineweber | McCutcheon High School, Lafayette, IN |
| 2001 | John McKinney | Castle Rock Middle School, Castle Rock, CO |
| 2000 | Peggy Lubchenco | La Colina Junior High School, Santa Barbara, CA |
| 1999 | Herbert Turner | Waynesville Middle School, Waynesville, MO |
| 1998 | No award given | |
| 1997 | No award given | |
| 1996 | Jane Justus Frazier | Natomas High School, Sacramento, CA |