Des Moines, IA (northwestiowanow.com) — The Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council have announced the recipients of the 2025 Iowa STEM Teacher Award during a ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol. Among the six honorees is Alex Spooner, an eighth-grade mathematics teacher and STEM Director at Okoboji Middle School, where he is currently in his 10th year of teaching.

The six selected teachers each represent one of Iowa’s six STEM regions. The award recognizes their exceptional contributions to STEM education in the state and their efforts to ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math in their students.

Nominations for the award were submitted by administrators, teachers, counselors, families, students, and other STEM advocates across Iowa.