GCPS teacher honored with STEM award

     A Hull Middle School teacher has been honored by the Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers with the Don Cargill Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Scholar Award. Celia Ayenesazan was recognized for her ability to create an engaging learning environment that encourages students to continue approaching STEM with creativity, innovation, and preparedness.

     “I'm genuinely moved by the recognition of work that embodies my core beliefs about science education and student empowerment,” Ayenesazan shares. “To be selected among such a distinguished cohort of STEM teachers across Georgia—and to represent Gwinnett County in this way—solidifies my resolve to continue building classrooms where students develop the confidence and curiosity to imagine themselves as problem-solvers and innovators.”

     The award, established in 2019, provides recipients $500 to enhance their classrooms. Ayenesazan is one of 25 educators recognized for leading K-8 instruction across Georgia and for spearheading thoughtful STEM instruction and projects that have positively impacted their school communities.

     “What truly sustains my passion is witnessing the confidence that blooms when a student with learning differences successfully presents their engineering design or discovers a career aspiration they didn't know existed,” Ayenesazan continues. “The lasting impact lies not in trophies or accolades, but in the sustainable relationships we've built and the doors we've opened for future cohorts of students to experience meaningful, inclusive STEM engagement.”

Ayenesazan co-sponsors a club at Hull Middle called Girls Who Code, which helps fuel her passion for women in STEM.

     “When we create dedicated spaces where young women can explore computer science without the pressures of traditional grading, something remarkable unfolds when students see themselves as capable programmers and innovators,” Ayenesazan says. “The key is meeting students where they are through differentiated instruction, helping them find themselves reflected in STEM disciplines, and showing them how their education connects to the world beyond the classroom."