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Third-grade teacher Stacy Butler was moved to tears as she was presented with a $10,000 dollar check from the Pac-12 Conference and College Football Playoff Foundation for her work as a leader in STEM/STEAM initiatives at Pomeroy Elementary School in Santa Clara during an afternoon assembly on Thursday. A parade of 14 Pac-12 mascots energized the crowd of elementary school students to prepare them for the big surprise presentation to their teacher. Butler had no idea that she was the reason for the assembly. “I was told we had an assembly, and I came…I never imagined anything like this.” Butler said. “I’m amazed. I don’t do this for the recognition, I do it for the kids. I want to be here everyday, teaching them letting them be creative and use their imagination.”
As a science merit teacher for the district, Butler says she will use the money for more technology tools to teach kids how to communicate through science. In a statement from the Santa Clara Unified School District, Butler is described as “an extraordinary example of a lifelong learner.” She has been a teacher for the past 21 years in the Santa Clara Unified School District and played a key role in the school’s Makerspace Design Team. According to the district, she helped to set up a science, technology and art Makerspace classroom and dedicates her personal time after school to move the program forward. She is a leader among teachers in the district and continues to advocate for and lead science and STEAM integration professional development.
Butler and her class will also be invited to be recognized on the field during the 2018 Pac-12 Football Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium on Friday night.
