University of Iowa College of Education alumna Rachel DeMaris has earned the Iowa Children’s Museum’s second-annual Robert E. Yager Active Learning Award, which recognizes Iowa teachers who provide students “opportunities to become engaged learners, innovative thinkers, and creative problem-solvers.”

DeMaris, a 1999 Science Education graduate, is one of four teachers recognized with the award this year. She is a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher at Willowwind, a private preschool through sixth-grade school in Iowa City.

The award was created by and named after College of Education Professor Emeritus Robert E. Yager, an internationally-celebrated champion of inquiry-based science education, in collaboration with The Iowa Children’s Museum.

In her nomination packet, DeMaris is described as someone who “works hard to put the student in the middle of the learning process and challenges her students to become advocates, activists and collaborative/critical thinkers.”

Other winners this year included Jill and Jeff Dodds of Simple Abundance Childcare in Coralville; Dawn Scholtens, a second-grade teacher at Sunset Heights Elementary in Webster City; and Jim Bezoni, a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher at River Valley Elementary in Washta.

Each winning teacher will receive a prize package for themselves and their school valued at $1,550 and includes a classroom field trip to the museum. The awards will be presented at the Iowa Children’s Museum’s annual Celebrate Play! Gala Friday, Nov. 1.

Deb Dunkhase, Iowa Children’s Museum executive director, says children who learn from exemplary teachers like DeMaris are “on a straight path to becoming the innovative leaders of tomorrow.”

The Iowa Children’s Museum features 28,000 square feet of active learning opportunities. It is located in the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville and sees 170,000 visitors each year. To learn more about the museum or the Celebrate Play! Gala, visit the museum website.