Grade 5's Erik White Named STEM MENA Awards Finalist

Grade 5's Erik White Named STEM MENA Awards Finalist

Erik White is on a mission to ignite a passion for STEM in the lives of young people. 

A Grade 5 teacher at ACS, Mr. White lives and breathes STEM education, and this commitment to fostering a love for STEM has earned him recognition as a finalist for the 2023 STEM MENA Teacher of the Year Award.

Mr. White incorporates STEM into nearly every facet of the classroom experience, from utilizing the latest technology and tools during lessons to encouraging the engineering design process throughout the school day. He encourages a growth mindset, showing students that there are no limits to what they can achieve, and he champions the idea that failure is an integral part of the learning process.

“When students ask me a question, other students will say, ‘He’s not going to answer your question; he’s going to ask you a question,” he said. “I love that that is something I am known for. My job isn’t to give you an answer. My job is to help you find the answer.”

An inspiration for other educators who desire to engage, prepare and inspire their students for the future, Mr. White reminds teachers their own vulnerability is key to helping students grow.

“For us as teachers, we have to create that environment that makes it okay to make mistakes,” Mr. White said. “It’s okay to fail sometimes, because we’re going to learn from that and our students are going to learn from that. Students will see that you are trying something new, then they are going to want to try something new too.” 

The STEM MENA Awards celebrate educators who demonstrate dedication and service to the teaching and learning of STEM in his or her school as well as in the community. We congratulate Mr. White for his unwavering dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence, representing the very best in educational innovation in Abu Dhabi and beyond.