Supporting Classroom Teachers for 30 Years!

For 30 years, DFSME has been dedicated to unifying Delaware to support classroom teachers to inspire and educate today's students for the workforce of tomorrow.

We bring together business, education, nonprofit, and the public sector to aid and recognize teachers. We do this by providing teacher recognition awards, funds for teachers to enhance student learning activities, and we lead collaborative partnerships between teachers and business professionals.

Not only are teachers better prepared to discuss the businesses in the state and their respective talent needs, but thousands of students will feel the benefit.

—Randy Guschl, Executive Director

Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education (DFSME)

The Future is Bright!

FREE Virtual Event!

11th Annual STEM Educator Awards

November 13th • 4-6pm

The Delaware STEM Council welcomes you to

watch the live virtual 11th Annual Delaware STEM Educator Awards,

where we gather to celebrate exceptional STEM educators and leaders in Delaware.

Log-on Nov. 13th at 3:45pm — Event starts promptly at 4pm.

Delaware STEM Educator Awards recognize certified teachers and

uncertified community educators who have demonstrated STEM innovation and excellence

through teaching, academic collaboration, and student engagement.

Our sponsors and elected officials, in collaboration

with Delaware STEM Council and DFSME,

will be honoring winners at the

Elementary School (K-5), Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12) levels.

The Jon Manon STEAM Team Award winners will also be announced!

For more information, click here.

Thank You to Our 2025 Sponsors!

LabWare maintains partnerships with the University of Delaware, NIIMBL at the STAR Campus and other regional organizations focused on science and technology. Photo courtesy LabWare.

LabWare Expands Global Lab Software Solutions

from Delaware Headquarters

LabWare is developing software that assists thousands of laboratories around the world analyze and manage critical data, and its latest upgrade is to health programs to help further streamline operations.

LabWare debuted its Clinical Health Solution 5.06 at the end of September, an upgraded version of its clinical health solution platform. This version uses automation to streamline laboratory workflows and quality assurance processes. The latest version underwent an extensive validation process using automated tools that simulate user behavior, cutting testing time from weeks to just hours.

The launch of Clinical Health Solution 5.06 is just another way that LabWare works to provide information management systems to customers across the globe. Founded in 1987 by Vance Kershner, the privately held company serves more than 29,000 laboratories in 125 countries and employs about 1,000 people worldwide, including roughly 100 in Delaware.

LabWare continues to hire locally, drawing from a mix of graduates, including, but not limited to, computer science, biology and chemistry scholars. Company representatives said they look for problem-solvers as much as programmers, people who can be comfortable blending technology with scientific reasoning.

Partial reprint courtesy of Delaware Business Times. LabWare is a STEM Legacy Sponsor of DFSME.

Mr. Fobes accepts the DFSME Shining Light Award surrounded by his students and colleagues. Adults L-R: Monique Devaughn-Johnson Assistant Principal of Harlan Elementary School; Dr.Michelle Kutch, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Brandywine School District; Randy Guschl, Executive Director, DFSME; Michael Fobes 5th Grade Math Teacher and lead at Harlan Robotics Club; Dr. Lisa Lawson, Superintendent of Brandywine School District; and Douglas Cuffy, Dean of Students, Harlan Elementary.

DFSME’s October's “Shining Light Award” Honors Michael Fobes,

VEX Robotics Educator at Harlan Elementary School

Since 2022, Michael Fobes has been the lead of the VEXIQ after school robotics program at Harlan Elementary, part of the Wilmington Learning Collaborative (WLC). The goal of WLC is to improve outcomes for students, academic achievement and attendance.

Across his four years, he's grown the program from a few robots to eight teams. In order to be able to help all of his roboteers and to maximize access, he now runs the program across two afternoons. His teams have earned 1st place accolades in the last three Brandywine School District’s (BSD) Extravaganza tournaments, in addition to several smaller multi-school tournaments, giving Harlan a morale boost.

Through his innovative teaching methods in math and commitment to real-world problem-solving in robotics, Michael equips students with not only technical skills but also teamwork abilities necessary to navigate complex challenges, ensuring that students are well-prepared to succeed in middle and high school.

Michael exceeds in his role as advisor of a VEX team in a high-needs school. His efforts have increased attendance and participation in academic activities. Michael is a Lead Math Teacher and a Top Math Growth Leader in BSD, as well as a most decorated VEX robotics coach in team wins.

We are pleased to recognize Michael Fobes as a superlative educator!

Michael was nominated by Dr. Michelle Kutch, Director of Curriculum and Instruction,

Brandywine School District, and Foster Schucker, VEX Robotics of Delaware.

The Shining Light Award is made possible by sponsor Chesapeake Utilities.

Nominate Your Favorite Educator to be a Shining Light!

Anyone may nominate a STEM formal, informal or community Educator for the Shining Light Award.

Honorees receive an award, a $100 gift card and a mini heavy-duty mag flashlight.

For more details, visit dfsme.org/shining-light-award

Email completed form to drses48@aol.com or Michelle.Kutch@bsd.k12.de.us.

U.S. Presidential CTE Scholars Awardees from Delaware

Two Delaware students have been named U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education, one of the nation’s highest honors for CTE excellence.

• Chuiyee Kong - Caesar Rodney High School, Computer Science pathway graduate

Now in college, Chuiyee, a former Delaware Technology Student Association state officer founded her school’s Computer Science Club, interned with the Delaware Department of Transportation, and launched a youth coding club.

• Isha Prasad Kanchana - Newark Charter School, Biotechnology pathway graduate

Isha, active in HOSA and Business Professionals of America, conducted biotechnology research at the IBM-MIT Watson AI Lab and Indiana University and created nationally recognized, award-winning apps.

U.S. Presidential Distinguished Teachers from Delaware

• Mr. Tom Hoch - Tower Hill School, Physics

• Ms. Melanie Mundell - Newark Charter School, Biotechnology

• Ms. Kristen Zeman - Caesar Rodney High School, Digital Design

Delaware Launches New Pilot Program

to Grow Teacher Workforce

This school year, 10 dedicated educators are serving registered paraprofessional apprentices through the new Paraprofessional Registered Occupation (PRO) program. PRO is designed to keep students at the center by building a strong, diverse teacher workforce who know and love their communities.

Launched this Fall in Appoquinimink and Seaford school districts, with expansion planned statewide next year, the program is funded by the Delaware Department of Labor and supported by the Delaware Department of Education, Delaware Technical and Community College and Wilmington University.

Apprentices work full-time supporting students in classrooms while completing Associate’s Degree-equivalent coursework in the evenings and asynchronously. Within about two years, they are ready to take the next steps toward becoming licensed classroom teachers.

Delaware’s effort is being recognized nationally as an innovative way to address teacher shortages while raising the bar for student learning.

“Delaware is showing the nation how to do this with excellence,

 urgency, and relentless focus on student outcomes.

 I love seeing how Delaware has taken that vision and is implementing and scaling it.”

— Cindy Marten, Delaware Secretary of Education

“We believe in our teachers, both those in classrooms today and those preparing to lead and teach tomorrow,” said Cindy Marten. “PRO strengthens our educator workforce by supporting paraprofessionals who already know our children, families, and schools. They’re not just earning degrees; they’re making an immediate, positive impact for students right now. That’s good for students, good for our workforce and good for Delaware.”

This Program is Funded by

Delaware Museum of Nature and Science introduces Biomimicry to students in traveling exhibit.

Nature-Inspired Engineering Solutions

Explore "Creatividad Silvestre / Wild Creativity" Exhibit on Display Now

The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science launched a new bilingual traveling exhibit, Creatividad Silvestre / Wild Creativity, which invites visitors to explore how the natural world inspires human innovation. The exhibit runs through January 11, 2026.

Through ten interactive challenges, guests can generate energy with a handmade kite, use prisms to direct light, design a rooftop garden, and more. At its core, biomimicry is about looking to living systems for clues to solve human challenges. Engineers, architects, and inventors study how organisms have adapted over millions of years, then translate those insights into practical designs.

“Nature is the ultimate engineer. Every solution we see in living systems

has been refined over time, which makes biomimicry one of the

most sustainable and creative approaches to modern problem-solving.”

— John Garcia, Communications Manager, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science

One distinctive feature is the exhibit’s “Spanish first” presentation. All text appears in Spanish before English, making the experience especially welcoming for bilingual families and Latino visitor groups.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

“The Air We Share”

Environmental Awareness Art Contest

Submit by 5pm Thursday, December 11, 2025

Delaware elementary students are invited to submit entries for The Air We Share Environmental Awareness Art Contest. This contest is sponsored by the DFSME Careers, Resources, Education, And Technology for Environmental Solutions (CREATES) task team.

Students in grades 3-5, design artwork that demonstrates how our actions can make a positive impact on our community’s air quality. Things to consider: transportation, the natural environment, energy use, or anything that can improve air quality.

• Individual students may submit a single entry.
• Multiple students may submit a single entry.
• Teachers may submit multiple works for their entire class or a team of students as a single submission. 

Amazon Gift Cards for single entry winners in each grade:

1st Place $100 • 2nd Place $50 • 3rd Place $25 

To download Contest details and Teacher Resources, click here.

Click here to send submissions via Google Form. Submit by 5pm Thursday, December 11, 2025.

For questions, email Joe Iannone at info@dfsme.org using "The Air We Share" in the subject line.

Sponsored by

November's Outstanding Delaware Women in STEM Honoree

Elizabeth (Liz) Shea, Ph.D. is Curator of Mollusks and Director of Collections at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. An expert in cephalopod biology and deep-sea mollusk biodiversity, she leads the museum’s scientific team that curates, conducts research, and manages millions of scientific specimens. Liz also works to advance undergraduate research in ecology and evolution to increase student engagement, retention, and long-term success.



Million Women Mentors is the premier network dedicated to encouraging girls and women around the world to pursue, persist and thrive in STEM careers. The Delaware STEM Council and DFSME are partners in the event along with MWM-DE and the Office of the Governor, State of Delaware.

Design Now! Submit by 5pm, Thursday, December 11th 

The Air We Share Environmental Awareness Art Contest

Sponsored by DFSME

Delaware students Grades 3-5 can submit entries. Design artwork to

demonstrate how to make a positive impact on our community’s air quality.

To download Contest details and Teacher Resources, click here.

To send submissions via Google Form, click here.

For questions, email Joe Iannone at info@dfsme.org. Use subject line: "The Air We Share".

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Save the Date! November 13, 2025 • 4pm-6pm

The 11th Annual Delaware STEM Educator Awards Ceremony

Co-hosted by Delaware STEM Council & DFSME

Livestream from Buena Vista Country Estate in New Castle, DE.

Winners announced at the Elementary School (K-5), Middle School (6-8)

and High School (9-12) levels, the Community Educator Award,

the Jon Manon STEAM Team Educator Award and more!

For more info. about the 2025 DE STEM Educator Awards, click here.

To watch the livestream on November 13th, click here.

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Save the Date! February 20, 2026

The 7th Annual YES! Delaware Youth Environmental Summit

Planned by students, the 2025 YES! Summit is FREE for

Delaware high school students and educators who are advisors

to school teams. Students explore the most pressing

state, national and global environmental issues

and engage in steps they can take on campus and beyond.

We welcome ALL Delaware schools to participate!

For more information, click here.

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Save the Date! 

February 28, 2026 • 9:30am-3:30pm

Engineering Your Tomorrow

FREE STEM Career Day for Middle School Girls

Girls in grades 6-8 will spend the day with scientists

and engineers exploring STEM careers through fun, hands-on lab activities!

Parents/caregivers/teachers are encouraged to attend sessions

to help guide girls in making choices that will prepare them for

higher education and careers in STEM fields.

Registration is FREE thanks to our generous sponsors. Lunch will be provided.

Click here for more information.

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Register Now! Tournament Dates: March 7, March 21, April 18, 2026

2026 Delaware Science Olympiad

Delaware Science Olympiad inspires students to achieve the next level

in their science education through exciting and challenging competitions.

To download the flyer about the 2026 Tournaments, event areas, registration,

volunteer opportunities and more, click here.

To visit the Delaware Science Olympiad website, click here.

DFSME thanks the following organizations for contributions to STEM education in Delaware.

STEM Legacy

DuPont | LabWare

STEM Heritage

Ashland

STEM Sustainer

Bloom Energy | Mountaire Farms | Verizon

STEM Network

Croda | Delmarva Power | Walmart



STEM Business

Agilent Technologies | American Chemical Society Delaware Section

Autumn Arch | Chesapeake Utilities | Incyte

STEM Gifts in Kind

ChristianaCare | Corteva Agriscience | DelawareBio

Delaware Design Company | Delaware Nature Society | Delaware Technical Community College

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | EDiS

Junior Achievement | STEMconnector | Stroud Water Research Center | Whisman Giordano & Associates

Community Partners

Career and Technical Education Cadre | Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation

Delaware Afterschool Network | Delaware Department of Education | Delaware Math Coalition

Delaware Pathways | Delaware Science Coalition | Delaware STEM Council

Goldey-Beacom College | Healthy Food for Healthy Kids | Million Women Mentors

Northrop Grumman | University of Delaware



Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education

100 W. 10th Street, Suite 612 

Wilmington, DE 19801 

Tel: 302.397.0034 | Fax: 302.397.0036 

Email: info@dfsme.org

www.dfsme.org

©2025 Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education

501(c)(3) Education nonprofit dealing with K-16 STEM education in Delaware schools.