WASHINGTON and RESTON, Va., March 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Challenger Center and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announce Laurie Hamzik, Kenji Nomura, and Lillian Reynolds as the winners of the 2026 Trailblazing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Educator Award. Each teacher and their respective schools will be awarded $5,000. Additionally, each teacher will receive free access to up to $3,000 in Challenger Center STEM programming and a trip to NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, provided by Blue Origin’s Club for the Future.
This year marks the 5th anniversary of the launch of the Trailblazing STEM Educator Award. AIAA and Challenger Center launched this prestigious award to celebrate K-12 educators who go above and beyond to inspire the next generation of explorers and innovators in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Each year, nominations for this award from across the country demonstrate the incredible creative efforts teachers make every day to empower students in STEM, both in and out of the classroom.
The three recipients of the 2026 award are:
Laurie Hamzik
Middle school science teacher at Saint Ambrose Catholic School (Brunswick, Ohio)
For over 35 years, Laurie Hamzik has helped students gain STEM experience beyond the classroom. She helps her students participate in a variety of STEM events throughout the year, including St. Ambrose School science fairs, the Northeast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair, Ohio State Science Days, and Young Astronaut Day. She regularly organizes tours of NASA Glenn Research Center, and provided insight on NASA’s “Sound Off Engineering Design Challenge” before the activity went nationwide in 2023. Hamzik has received the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Crystal Apple Award and the 2024 Ohio Academy of Science’s The Governor’s Thomas Edison Award for STEM Education and Student Research.
Kenji Nomura
STEM educator at Virginia Space Flight Academy (Wallops Island, Virginia)
Kenji Nomura is a STEM educator dedicated to expanding access to hands-on STEM learning and helping students see a future for themselves in the aerospace industry. With experience teaching math, astronomy, robotics, computer science, and engineering, Nomura engages students through project-based experiences that build curiosity, confidence, and problem-solving skills. An Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow supporting NASA Science Activation, Nomura creates makerspaces and engineering projects – from building data loggers to launching rockets and analyzing flight data – to help his students see themselves as explorers, innovators, and future STEM professionals.
Lillian Reynolds
Middle school STEM teacher at Voyager Public Charter School (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Lillian Reynolds connects STEM learning to real-world space exploration by building lessons around current events and research. Selected for NASA’s Astronomy Activation Ambassador program and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Teacher Innovator Institute, Reynolds brings cutting-edge space science into the classroom. Her students tackle projects grounded in real science – from rover and solar design to analyzing Mars landing sites – and participate in initiatives such as the International Astronomical Union’s Exoplanet Naming Campaign, Challenger Center missions, and NASA’s TechRise Challenge, helping them see themselves as capable problem-solvers and future innovators.
“Great STEM educators do more than teach concepts. They spark curiosity and help students see themselves as part of humanity’s future of discovery,” said Mike Kincaid, President and Executive Director of Challenger Center. “Laurie Hamzik, Kenji Nomura, and Lillian Reynolds each bring extraordinary creativity, dedication, and real-world relevance to their classrooms. Through hands-on learning and authentic connections to science and space exploration, they are inspiring students to ask big questions, solve complex problems, and imagine the role they can play in shaping the future. We are proud to celebrate their impact and partner with AIAA to recognize educators who are truly trailblazing in STEM education.”
“This year’s Trailblazing STEM Educator Award winners exemplify what it means to go above and beyond. They are breaking barriers to access, connecting students to real careers in aerospace, and giving young people the confidence to envision themselves as the scientists and engineers our industry needs,” said Clay Mowry, AIAA CEO. “AIAA is thrilled to partner with Challenger Center to put meaningful resources behind their remarkable work. These three educators are building the STEM-literate workforce that will power the next era of aerospace innovation, and we are honored to support them.”
The 2026 Trailblazing STEM Educator Award recognizes the achievements and commitment of these educators and highlights the important role our teachers play in preparing the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers. Through this partnership, Challenger Center and AIAA remain committed to supporting teachers who bring innovative STEM experiences to students and inspire young people across the country to pursue discovery, exploration, and problem-solving in the classroom and beyond.
Media Contacts
Julia Austin, Challenger Center, [email protected], 202-827-1575
Rebecca Gray, AIAA, [email protected], 804-397-5270
About Challenger Center
As a leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, Challenger Center provides hundreds of thousands of students annually with experiential education programs that engage students in hands-on learning opportunities. These programs, delivered in Challenger Learning Centers and classrooms, strengthen knowledge in STEM subjects and inspire students to pursue careers in these important fields. Challenger Center was created by the Challenger families to honor the crew of shuttle flight STS-51L. For more information about Challenger Center, please visit www.challenger.org or connect on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
About AIAA Foundation
The AIAA Foundation inspires and supports the next generation of aerospace professionals. From classroom to career, the AIAA Foundation enables innovative K-12 and university programming, including STEM classroom grants, scholarships, conferences, and hands-on competitions. Founded in 1996, the AIAA Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt educational organization connected to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4c93c79a-e685-447b-9a05-3b438a27688f