AFA Announces 2013 National Teacher of the Year

 The Air Force Association is proud to announce Margaret Spigner, a dedicated teacher at West Ashley High School in Charleston, S.C., as the recipient of the 2013 National Teacher of the Year Award. 

Ms. Spigner was recently selected as the South Carolina AFA Teacher of the Year earlier this year, making her eligible for the national award. Ms. Spigner has been an educator for 31 years and is still as enthralled with her chosen profession as the day she first began teaching. For the last 26 years she has taught Honors and College Prep Marine Science, Biotechnology, Investigative Research, Biology, and Honors Environmental and Physical Science at West Ashley High School. Since 2004, she has been the Science Department Chair and is the Lead Teacher for National Board High School Science Candidates for Charleston County. 

“Congratulations to Margaret Spigner, AFA’s National Teacher of the Year,” said George Muellner, AFA’s Chairman of the Board. “Her enthusiasm and vision for STEM education sets an example for leadership amongst her colleagues. Ms. Spigner engages her students in the curriculum, and shows them opportunities for their future academic and professional careers. We appreciate Ms. Spigner, the many other qualified nominees for this award, and the many dedicated teachers across the country. They make a difference.”

The $3,000 award will be presented in September at AFA’s Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center near Washington, D.C. 

The National Teacher of the Year award recognizes classroom teachers at the national level for their accomplishments and achievements in building enthusiasm among K-12 students about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and preparing them to use these skills and contribute to tomorrow’s technologies. For more information contact Shannon Aud at saud@afa.org.