Teaching science was not in Maureen Miller's original plan, but after she lost her job as an exercise physiologist when the company closed, she decided to make a career change.
To combine her love of science and children, Miller went back to college and now teaches science at Hurricane Middle School.
The White House recognized Miller's passion and commitment to education on Monday, when President Obama named her as one of the 213 math and science teachers to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
"It is overwhelming and humbling," Miller said. "Just to be acknowledged for what I love to do every day is just amazing."
After being nominated for the award, Miller submitted a video of her teaching a lesson, and a written narrative.
Miller recorded herself teaching her eighth-grade class about rate of diffusion. In the lesson, students compared diffusion rates of fresh water and salt water and then warm water and cold water. She then discussed with the students why the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was more tragic than the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.
The students made the connection from their lab results that things diffuse faster in warm water than in cold water, which is why the spill in the gulf had more impact.
"It was a simple lab, but it had an extension to the real world and using discourse," Miller said. "I really get them to talk about the activities and the experience. It's how they make sense of what they're learning. They learn more from each other than from me."
Miller said her ability to reflect on her practice is part of what made her stand out among the competition.
"That is something that I do for every class, every lesson, at the end of every day, at the end of every unit - to think back and see what my students learned and what I can do to help them learn," Miller said.
Miller's husband also is a teacher, and he was her biggest influence in deciding to become a science teacher.
"He said, 'You love kids and you love science. You could put them together by teaching,' and he was 100 percent right," Miller said. "There's absolutely nothing better than when you see kids talk about science and they really get it, and it has meaning for them. It makes your day, it makes your week."
Sonya Richardson, the assistant principal at Poca High School, where Miller previously worked, nominated Miller for the award.
"She was a colleague and a mentor when I first started teaching there," Miller said. "She really had a profound impact on developing my career as an educator."
Putnam County Schools Superintendent John Hudson said the district is extremely proud of Miller's accomplishment.
"She is such an outstanding educator. Her students are always involved with interactive and engaging learning activities," Hudson said. "She exemplifies what we strive for here at Putnam County Schools."
Miller will receive her award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 8, along with a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
Reach Laura Haight at laura.haight@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @laurahaight_ on Twitter.