Margaret Mitchell
Honors Chemistry Teacher
Ridge High School, Basking Ridge, NJ

NSHSS is proud to announce that Mrs. Mitchell is one of the 2015 Claes Nobel Top Ten Educators of the Year. Mrs. Mitchell was recognized at the annual Carter Center NSHSS Member Event in Atlanta, GA, on December 5, 2015. Upon her acceptance of the Top Ten Educator of the Year Award, she addressed the students, parents, and educators in attendance. Mrs. Mitchell explains her promotion of critical thinking skills, “Chemistry is not a subject that can be learned by rote memorization–the problem solving skills that I strive to help my students develop will help them throughout their academic careers and as a corollary benefit, promotes self-confidence. It is particularly gratifying to see the progress during the school year and my students realize that they can make the intellectual ‘stretch’ that will enable them to succeed in the college courses they will be taking a few years from now.”  

Mrs. Mitchell, who was named the 2010 Ridge High School Teacher of the Year, has helped her school’s Chemistry League Team achieve immense state-level success, and many of her Chemistry Olympiad students have advanced to earn national recognition. She is a mentor for new teachers and at-risk students. Mrs. Mitchell has worked as a consultant for Research and Education Association. She has also served as a medicinal chemist for Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation and as an assistant scientist for Peptide Group before beginning her teaching career. Mrs. Mitchell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry from New York University and a Master of Science degree in organic chemistry from Rutgers University.

Principal of Ridge High School, Francis T. Howlett, Jr., states that in his twenty-five years as an administrator, he has “not been associated with a more competent, caring and committed teacher than Margaret Mitchell.” Mrs. Mitchell’s nominating student adds, “Mrs. Mitchell deserves to be nominated for the hard work she attributes to the school. She makes chemistry fun and lets her students learn chemistry in a unique way. She is very supportive and kind to all her students.”

Claes Nobel Educators of the Year

NSHSS is pleased to highlight our 2015-2016 Claes Nobel Educators of the Year, presented to ten exemplary educators who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to preparing students for success in college and in life. These ten educators are among NSHSS’s student-nominated Claes Nobel Educators of Distinction, a program that recognizes educators who model best practices in teaching, are a positive influence for students and peers, and demonstrate outstanding leadership in education and community engagement. Since the inception of the Educators of Distinction program in 2004, NSHSS has recognized more than 38,000 educators worldwide.