Cape teachers win nation's top math and science teaching awards

Cape Girardeau elementary school teachers Becky Hicks and Barb Egbert will receive the 2006 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation's top award for science and math teachers.

Hicks is a second-grade teacher at Blanchard Elementary School. Egbert is a kindergarten teacher at Franklin Elementary School.

The National Science Foundation selects only two teachers from each state for the awards. It's the first time that the Cape Girardeau School District has had both award winners representing the state of Missouri in a single year, school officials said.

Hicks and Egbert are only the third and fourth elementary school teachers in the district to win the award.

Both teachers said Wednesday that they were thrilled by the honor. "I am on cloud nine," Egbert said.

Hicks said the award is inspiring.

"It is that validation that what you are doing is really important and it really counts for something," she said.

Each of the award winners will receive a $10,000 prize and an all-expense paid week of celebratory activities in Washington, D.C., from May 14 through May 19. All of the award winners will receive a citation signed by President Bush at a ceremony on May 17.