April 8, 2025
At Gilbert Schools, we all know what an amazing educator Curtis Martinek is because we get to see it on a daily basis. And now the entire state will have the opportunity to learn what we already know.
Mr. Martinek, who has been a math teacher at Gilbert High School for 19 years and an educator at the secondary level for 22 years overall, is a finalist for the incredibly prestigious 2025 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. This is actually the second time Mr. Martinek has made the list of finalists during his impressive career; he also reached this stage in 2015.
“It was exciting when I found out, and it’s really a testament to the students I’ve had,” Mr. Martinek said. “They’ve put in a lot of hard work, they do what I ask them to do, they’re willing to learn, and because we have such a great staff here at Gilbert, students come prepared to class.”
Mr. Martinek went through the application process this past fall, which included a video of a class lesson. He says ultimately winning the award would be significant, but he initially applied to better his own day-to-day teachings.
“I would obviously be excited (to win), but it was more about doing the application than anything else because it forced me to think about what I was doing and the things I could do better,” he said.
Other statewide finalists for the 2025 awards include Catherine Leipold, a math teacher at Waterloo West High School; Adam Paulson, a math teacher who most recently taught at Waukee High School; Gregory Barord, a science teacher with Des Moines Public Schools; and Matt Harding, a science teacher at Iowa City Liberty High School.
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest recognition that a K-12 teacher may receive in the United States for science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science. Up to 100 teachers are recognized each year, and awards alternate each year between elementary and secondary teachers. The 2025 awards will recognize outstanding secondary teachers.
“These exceptional secondary teachers represent the best of mathematics and science education in Iowa,” April Pforts, a mathematics consultant for the Iowa Department of Education, said. “We are proud to recognize them as finalists for the PAEMST awards.”
Since 1983, more than 5,500 teachers have been honored through PAEMST. Awardees represent all 50 states, the Department of Defense Education Activity Schools, and six additional U.S. jurisdictions. On behalf of the White House office of Science and Technology Policy, the awards are administered by the National Science Foundation.
The official 2025 winners will be announced later this year.
Previously, Gilbert Schools had two elementary teachers win this award. Denise Carlson, who taught third grade at Gilbert Elementary, was the 2001 winner for math, and Angie Klunder, who teaches kindergarten at Gilbert Elementary, was the 2020 winner for math.
Mr. Martinek currently teaches a plethora of classes at Gilbert High School, including Algebra I, Geometry, Precalculus, and AP Calculus.
We are so honored to have Mr. Martinek as a part of our school district, and the expertise he provides our students on a daily bases is second to none. Being named a finalist for this award reflects not only his knowledge, but also his passion for helping to educate our future leaders. You know who we will be rooting for when the winner is announced!
