Pasco Teacher Wins Top WA Award for STEM Excellence

Shelia Tomlinson believes learning happens with your hands, not just your head. The Ochoa Middle School teacher in Pasco just received the 2025-26 Washington MESA Mona Bailey Outstanding Teacher Award for transforming how eighth graders experience math and science.

The award recognizes middle and high school educators who inspire students through STEM learning and exceptional leadership. It honors Mona Bailey, whose 30 years of work shaped STEM education across Washington state.

Tomlinson's classroom looks different from traditional math and science rooms. Depending on the project, her students might pick up screwdrivers, hand saws, or other tools to solve real problems instead of just working through textbook equations.

"I like to say I just do what I do, but I don't necessarily always realize how much it affects everybody," Tomlinson told the Tri-City Herald. Her approach helps students realize that school can be about building and creating, not just memorizing.

The award comes from Washington MESA, a program designed to prepare underserved students for STEM careers through academic enrichment, leadership opportunities, and hands-on learning. These students often face barriers to entering science and engineering fields, making teachers like Tomlinson essential bridges to opportunity.

Tomlinson teaches the same students for a full year, which she says makes all the difference. "Going a year with the same students really helps to build that rapport and helps them grow and adjust to their mistakes," she explained.

The Ripple Effect

When teachers inspire students to see themselves as future engineers and scientists, the impact extends far beyond one classroom. Students in MESA programs gain confidence to pursue careers they might never have considered, bringing diverse perspectives to fields that desperately need them.

Tomlinson will receive a $1,000 honorarium and commemorative plaque with her award. But her real prize walks through her classroom door every day, ready to learn that they're capable of more than they imagined.

"I think my students would be very proud of me for achieving an award of such stature," she said. Based on how she talks about them, the feeling is clearly mutual.