Yajaira Fuentes-Tauber, better known as “Dr. T” around Rocky Mountain High School, is one of just six teachers in the state and 311 in the U.S. to earn the nation’s highest honor for K-12 science and math educators in 2025.
The White House announced this year’s recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) on Jan. 13. The award recognizes educators for their teaching skills, deep knowledge of the content they teach, and commitment to continual improvement of STEM education (short for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Award nominees complete a thorough application process and are vetted by a panel of scientists, mathematicians, and educators.
This is far from Dr. T’s first award. She earned the PAEMST State Secondary Science Award in 2023 and was a finalist for the national PAEMST honor the same year. In 2024, she was one of two teachers in a six-state region selected by the National Association of Biology Teachers for an Outstanding Biology Teacher Award. She was selected for the National Science Teacher Association’s Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award for a region covering Colorado, Arizona, and Utah in 2023 and the Colorado Association of Science Teachers AVS Teaching Award for Excellence in Secondary Science Education in 2021.
PSD is proud to have dedicated teachers like Dr. T who help students uncover the magic of learning and reach their full potential!