Melvina Murray

Melvina Murray, second-grade teacher at Dakota Elementary School at Minot Air Force Base, has been selected to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Kathryn Lenertz, principal at Dakota Elementary School, nominated Murray for her efforts in the classroom and always doing the little extra things to make sure her students are set up for success.

“I’m very excited and very honored with how hardworking everyone is,” Murray said. “But to be recognized is really awesome.”

May 8 is the date set for the ceremony to present Murray with the award at the State Capitol in Bismarck. Gov. Doug Burgum and North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler will be in attendance.

Murray said she suspects the reason she was nominated revolves around how she handles her lessons and makes the educational standards more engaging and exciting for herself and her students.

For example, the students enjoy playing dress-up and acting in what Murray calls “classroom transformations.”

“Some days, we are dressed up as doctors to practice word problems, or I put on my overalls and cowgirl hat to have a farmers’ market to practice arrays, or I dust off my Army uniform and my students partake in Place Value Boot Camp,” Murray said.

She also attributes her nomination to her ability to connect with her students using fun and engaging teaching chants or math strategies to get the students more excited about subjects that may not be their favorites.

Another activity students were excited for was a mock trial to figure out if the Big Bad Wolf was guilty or innocent of his crimes. Murray put on her master’s graduation gown to be the judge, and two students dressed up as lawyers. The rest of the students acted as the jury.

In order to tie the mock trial into the lesson, Murray had students write a persuasive essay about the wolf and why he was guilty or why he was innocent.

Lenertz submitted the nomination in August 2023. Murray then submitted an application that involved a series of essays around the five dimensions that make up the award. Those dimensions are:

– Mastery of content appropriate for the grade level taught.

– Use of effective instructional approaches that are appropriate for the students in the classroom and that support student learning.

– Effective use of student assessments to evaluate, monitor and improve student learning.

– Reflective practice and life-long learning to improve teaching and student learning.

– Opportunity, access and leadership in education inside and outside of the classroom.

In total, Murray’s essay came to 33 pages.

Another part of the application process involved creating a 30-minute video of a math lesson to demonstrate the five dimensions.

“It’s not a one-and-done process. It took months of writing and webinars and creating a lesson video,” Murray said. “It’s about the community and how it’s involved, the curriculum, and how you support your district as a teacher and how to help your state.”

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching has been around since 1983 and is the highest honor an educator can be given. It is awarded to K-12 teachers across the United States in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science.

Murray has always thought of school as more than just a place for learning, but also a place where she could find “refuge, a safe space where caring teachers and staff made all the difference.”

Wanting to offer that same safe space for her students, she became a teacher, as well. She has been a teacher for seven years, with four of those years spent at Dakota Elementary. Her husband is an active-duty airman stationed at the base.

“Ever since I was in kindergarten, I’ve harbored a deep desire to become a teacher,” Murray said. “Their belief in me propelled my journey to where I am today. I want to pay that forward, to be the teacher who goes the extra mile for my students. Teaching isn’t just about imparting knowledge; it’s about being a guide and helping my students find their own paths in life.”