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Freedom Middle School teacher Allison Wright is a Tennessee finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)—one of the nation’s highest honors for STEM educators. Known for her innovative lessons and passion for inspiring young minds, Ms. Wright represents excellence in education.
A Franklin Special District science teacher is in the running for the nation’s highest teaching honor in her field.
Allison Wright, a seventh-grade science teacher at Freedom Middle School, is one of three Tennessee finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the highest honors given by the U.S. government specifically for teaching K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science. National winners are chosen by a National Science Foundation committee and receive $10,000 and a paid trip to Washington, D.C.
Ms. Wright, a former English Language Arts teacher, joined Freedom Middle in 2019 to test her mettle as a science teacher. “To say Allison has proven to be an exemplary teacher in our building is an understatement,” said Freedom Middle Principal Charles Farmer, Ph.D. “Allison is one of the most organized and engaging teachers I have ever observed in my years as a building-level administrator. Her preparation is phenomenal on an individual and team level.”
That preparation and organization has translated into measurable student achievement, according to Dr. Farmer. “Allison has a strong ability to identify essential standards, prepare lessons that teach those standards, analyze student assessment data associated with those standards, and prepare a clear remediation/enrichment plan for students.”
Wright, who was also selected as a 2024-2025 FSD Model Classroom Teacher, says her inspiration is drawn from her colleagues and students. “These days, teachers are all on the same page, keeping the students’ engagement at the forefront,” Wright said. “I love learning new ideas from others but also adapting and incorporating my own twist. My passion is to work alongside other cohorts in developing successful ideas to keep our students excited and engaged about learning always.”
Her primary validation is derived from her students, however. “My favorite part of teaching is the relationships I get to build with my students and seeing the growth process as we complete a year together,” she said. “My hope for my students is that they take away a passion for learning something new each day because of what we did in our classroom together.”
The National Science Foundation will announce the national PAESMT winners later this year.