Taylor Whisenant, STEAM Lab Specialist at Athens Renaissance School, recently received the Trailblazing STEM Educator of the Year Award, sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Challenger Center.

This award recognizes K-12 educators for their science, technology, engineering, and math contributions to the classroom.

“Dr. Brown and Mrs. Preston nominated me for this award. The nominee has to be a K-12 educator who brings real-world STEM experiences to students and must be an AIAA member,” Whisenant said.

She knew Brown and Preston nominated her for the award.

“I told Dr. Brown about the award back in the fall because winning is ‘kind of like getting a grant!’ I helped provide some of the information he needed to complete the nomination application. However, I was very surprised to win,” Whisenant said. “Almost a month ago, AIAA reached out to me and told me they wanted to interview me, as they were trying to narrow 14 nominees down to the three winners.”

She went on to say, “I had a Zoom meeting with a representative from AIAA and a representative from the Challenger Center, thinking I was one of 14 people interviewing, but in the meeting, I was told that I was one of the three winners! I was so surprised and honored to win.”

Whisenant feels honored to receive this recognition, which includes a $5,000 cash prize for herself and $5,000 for the school.

“I participated in FIRST Robotics in high school, and since then, I have dedicated a large part of my personal and professional life to expanding equity and access to STEM programs like FIRST,” Whisenant said. “It feels good to be recognized for this. The cash award will help fund my travel to a variety of FIRST events in which I will be volunteering this year.”

Whisenant is currently working with her administrators on a plan for the $5,000 awarded to the school.

“Right now, I am thinking that we will use the $5,000 toward the continuing development of our Athens Renaissance School STEAM Studios,” Whisenant said.

As part of the award, she will have the opportunity to attend a space launch. Attending a space launch is a dream for Whisenant.

“I have always been fascinated by space travel. I have never been able to attend a space launch before, so I am so excited about this opportunity! Personally, this is a big dream of mine and has been since I was a kid,” she said. “Professionally, it means a lot to me to be able to show students what can happen when you pursue your passions, how STEM applies in the real world, and that STEM is for girls, too.”

Whisenant will be recognized at the 2023 AIAA Awards Gala on May 18 in Washington, D.C.

“I am so excited to be able to meet with other winners and other members of AIAA,” she said,