The Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council have announced six teachers as the 2026 Iowa STEM Teacher Award recipients. Now in its 12th year, the annual Iowa STEM Teacher Award recognizes one full-time, licensed PK-12 teacher from each of the state’s six STEM regions for their contribution and dedication to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in Iowa. This year, the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council received more than 100 nominations and over 60 applications from teachers. Each recipient will receive $1,500 to use for the classroom and $1,500 for personal use.
This year’s honorees are:
- Northwest STEM Region: Alan Bandstra, sixth-grade math and science teacher at Sioux Center Christian School is in his 37th year of teaching.
- North Central STEM Region: Anna Brooks, agriculture teacher at Ames Community School District, in her eighth year of teaching.
- Northeast STEM Region: Dylan Shaffer, science and intro to STEM teacher at Monticello Community School District, in his eighth year of teaching.
- Southwest STEM Region: Justin Heckman, physics teacher and robotics coach at Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, in his 25th year of teaching.
- South Central STEM Region, medical and bioscience research instructor, STEM Camp director and STEM Club adviser at Waukee Community School District, in his fifth year of teaching.
- Southeast STEM Region: Pamela Joslyn, a STEM educator at Muscatine Community School District, in her 24th year of teaching.