Thomas Holbrook

U High's Holbrook Receives Presidential Award

University High School’s Thomas Wade Holbrook is one of 99 educators to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.  The award is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House.

Each recipient gets a $10,000 award as well as a trip to Washington, D.C. for a week of celebratory events and professional development activities, including meeting with scientists and science educators at NSF, meeting with members of Congress and federal agency leadership and a reception and dinner at the U.S. Department of State. 

Holbrook, a 26-year teacher at University High school, is an instructor of AP chemistry and physics. During his tenure, he has served as department chairman, Scholastic Bowl coach and Academic Challenge coach. He serves as a mentor to Illinois State University College of Education Clinical Experience students and was president of the Illinois Association of Chemistry Teachers.

“I had an outstanding week in Washington, D.C.,” Holbrook said.  “I met 98 of the most outstanding teachers you could imagine.  I am beginning to believe that winning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching will be a life-changing experience.  However, nothing is going to drag me out of the classroom any time soon.”

Holbrook is considered a committed, passionate and thoughtful educator who holds students to high expectations for their behavior and academic achievement. Parents indicate their children have genuinely enjoyed the physics and chemistry classes; he makes physics fathomable to students. His teaching encourages more students to take physics, and he inspires his students to pursue careers in science and science education. His leadership and service extends to his peers, including physics teacher candidates whom he has inspired, motivated and coached through his student teacher mentoring. 

Holbrook trained in the Physics Teaching Resource Agents program, which allows him to be a lead instructor for rural teachers during the summer. He was awarded the Outstanding Illinois High School Physics Teacher Award by the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers and has published an article on Socratic dialogue in science classrooms in the Journal of Physics Teacher Education Online.

Holbrook holds National Board Certification in adolescence and young adulthood science. He has a bachelor’s degree in physical science from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in science education from Eastern Illinois University.

In the Presidential citation, winners are commended for “embodying excellence in teaching, for devotion to the learning needs of the students and for upholding the high standards that exemplify American education at its finest.”  The award was established in 1983 by the Education for Economic Security Act and is given annually to math and science teachers across the United States who make outstanding contributions to their students and schools.

Awardees are selected from mathematics and science teachers in all 50 States and the District of Columbia, with the competition this year focusing on seventh through twelfth grade teachers. After an initial selection process at the state level, a national panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians and educators recommend teachers to receive the Presidential Awards.