Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, has been awarded the Legislator of the Year award from Washington Industrial Technology Education Association for her efforts in supporting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in Washington state. The award was presented at Brier Terrace Middle School.

The Washington STEM program seeks to improve student achievement and opportunity in areas critical to the state’s economic prosperity: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The program aims to catalyze innovation in the state’s K-12 education system, increase teacher effectiveness and student learning, and dramatically raise the number of Washington students graduating ready for college, work and succeeding in STEM fields.

“With the leadership of Brier Terrace (science, math and technology) teacher James Sullivan, we have grown the number of STEM certified teachers from five to 300,” said McAuliffe. “The STEM program makes learning relevant and meaningful. We must continue to support scholarships for teachers to obtain STEM certification each summer. Our work will not be completed until we create a pathway from elementary through middle to high school and on to college.”