Hickory Public Schools announced that Amanda Gerken, currently serving as the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Coordinator for the Hickory Public Schools, has been nominated and selected for the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM) State Math Contest Coach's Award. Ms. Gerken, previously an 8th-grade Math 1 teacher at Northview Middle School, has been recognized for her commitment to mathematics education and her support of mathematics competitions.
The North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics accepts nominations for the State Math Contest Coach's Award each year. The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward an individual who has made an outstanding and noteworthy contribution to mathematics education and NCCTM by having formed, coached, or sponsored teams or groups of students in mathematics competitions.
"I am deeply honored to be nominated for this award by my colleagues April Kauffman and Cindy Brittain," expressed Ms. Gerken. "When I was still in the classroom as an 8th grade Math 1 teacher, I would take my Northview students to compete in the NCCTM State Math Contest for Math 1 and 2. When I moved into the role of Middle School AIG Specialist, I worked with both Northview and Grandview Middle Schools to prepare students for this competition. Ms. Kauffman and Ms. Brittain supported me in my efforts to work with students by giving me time to work with them, not to mention their hard work in preparing them as well. It was a fun experience because we made it collaborative and engaging. I was very competitive, which would motivate them as well! When we traveled to the competitions, we always understood that even though we were from two different schools, we represented Team Hickory."
Ms. Gerken will be formally honored at the NCCTM Awards Celebration on November 9th, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., taking place at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. During the celebration, Ms. Gerken will be presented with an award plaque to commemorate her outstanding achievements, along with a $500 check.