Professor Wakefield has been named a finalist for the National Award

Information via Wakefield Public Schools/JGPR

WAKEFIELD, MA — Superintendent Douglas Lyons and Principal TJ Liberti are proud to share that Dolbeare Elementary School 3rd grade teacher Ashleigh Cardarelli has been named a finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

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PAEMST honors STEM teachers across the country who have a deep knowledge of the subjects they teach and their ability to motivate and enable students to succeed in those fields. Awardees demonstrate a passion and dedication to their profession and the positive impact that highly effective teachers have on student achievement.

PAEMST is the highest honor given by the United States government specifically for K-12 STEM teachers.

Cardarelli was nominated by a colleague who completed an application requiring short essays, letters of reference, student and parent testimonials and even a classroom video of one of Cardarelli’s math lessons.

On Friday, June 7, Dolbeare Middle School students, each wearing their class’ Field Day T-shirts, gathered in the gym for a special assembly.

Principal Liberti opened the assembly by reminding students of the District’s core values, “Be kind. Be safe. Be respectful,” and then introduced two special guests from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Jennifer Sauriol and Casandra Gonzalez, who recognized Cardarelli for the achievement.

Gonzalez began, “Today we gather to celebrate one of your teachers’ achievement of being one of our state finalists, Mrs. Cardarelli.”

Before he could finish, the gym erupted in applause from students and staff alike. As Cardarelli approached the stage, her room of 24 students in the front row cheered her on as she beamed with pride.

“We are proud to recognize Ms. Cardarelli as a finalist for this honor, and you are truly fortunate to have her as a teacher in your school,” Gonzalez said.

Cardarelli received a PAEMST finalist tote bag. Her students joined her for a photo on stage.

After the assembly, Cardarelli’s students had a lot to say about their teacher. They noted her intelligence, kindness and positivity in the classroom.

One student noted how much he learned from Cardarelli, citing one of his math lessons last year: “When I entered third grade, I had no idea what the letters in the equations meant, and now I know!”

Another student reflected, “I didn’t think anyone could be better than any of my former teachers. Ms. Cardarelli proved me wrong.”

“It was a rigorous application process and having time to reflect on my practice was enlightening,” Cardarelli said. “I’m honored to be recognized as a finalist, but the real recognition belongs to my incredible students. For me, it’s about building relationships with them and witnessing their growth and success!”

As a Massachusetts state finalist, Cardarelli represents the Commonwealth in the PAEMST national selection process.

“Ashleigh’s nomination for this award is so well-deserved. She possesses a deep knowledge of mathematics. This combined with her genuine love and care for her students make her an exceptional educator,” said Superintendent Lyons.