Insights from GeekWire's STEM Educators of the Year
GeekWire
GeekWire
4.8 • 127 Ratings
🗓️ 3 May 2023
⏱️ 38 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today's top STEM teachers embrace learning opportunities wherever they arise, whether it's baby squirrels that have fallen from their nest, or engineering design failures that literally go up in smoke.
At the GeekWire Awards on May 18, we’re celebrating two STEM Educators of the Year:
- Ted Rodriquez, an instructor for high school juniors and seniors at the Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center in Everett, Wash.
- Melissa Pearcy teaches kindergarten-through-fifth-grade students in her role as a science specialist at Jefferson Elementary, which is part of Spokane Public Schools.
These teachers are among the best in delivering science, technology, engineering and math education. They're teaching students fundamental scientific principals -- but perhaps even more importantly, they're helping them learn how to solve problems, take risks, and recover from failure.
The GeekWire Awards recognize the top innovators and companies in Pacific Northwest technology. Our STEM educator honorees were selected based on community nominations, along with input from GeekWire Awards judges.
We recently spoke with the two teachers to learn more about their creative, engaging efforts to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders. Bank of America is the sponsor of this award, now in its third year.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Coming up on this special episode of the Geekwire podcast, a conversation with our STEM educators |
| 0:06.6 | of the year. |
| 0:08.1 | This honor at the 2023 Geekwire Awards is presented by Bank of America. |
| 0:13.3 | Stay tuned for a special message from Bank of America later in the show. |
| 0:18.5 | I think it's capturing the natural wonder of kids and letting them ask their own questions |
| 0:23.6 | and then kind of being a facilitator for them to do their own research and empowering them |
| 0:29.4 | saying, yes, you're five years old or you're eight years old. You have questions. Guess what? |
| 0:35.4 | People that are much older than you have not found the answers to these. |
| 0:39.3 | You could be the one. |
| 0:40.3 | I allow my students to fail. They have an opportunity to develop their designs. |
| 0:46.3 | They have to make a decision, right or wrong. If they make a wrong decision and a design, |
| 0:51.3 | they have to figure out what we're wrong how do you fix it, and move forward. |
| 0:55.6 | I have a saying, I said, I am not happy until I see maximum smoke. |
| 1:03.8 | Hello and welcome to Geekwire. I'm Geekwire reporter Lisa Stifler. |
| 1:08.2 | Today we're bringing you a special episode of the podcast. Two outstanding |
| 1:12.7 | teachers are being honored at the upcoming Geekwire Awards as our STEM Educators of the Year. |
| 1:19.1 | These amazing teachers inspire and nurture our kids. Their efforts help educate students who become |
| 1:25.7 | the future entrepreneurs of the year and tech |
| 1:28.7 | titans that we celebrate at the Geekwire Awards. They will be honored on May 18th at the |
| 1:34.6 | 23 Geekwire Awards. The awards will be presented live at Showbox Soto. |
| 1:40.7 | Register at geekwire.com slash awards to attend in person or to view the live stream of the event. |
| 1:48.0 | Now let's meet our honorees. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from GeekWire, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of GeekWire and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.