Celebrating our outstanding STEM teachers

Celebrating our outstanding STEM teachers

Feb 9, 2026 | Community Involvement

Highly skilled problem solvers and innovative thinkers are important to tomorrow’s workforce. That’s why, every year, we celebrate a group of local STEM teachers who dedicate their time toward helping make our future a brighter place.  

This year, we selected five teachers to be recipients of our STEM Educator Awards. Each recipient is receiving $1,500 for classroom supplies. Since this program started in 2003, PPL Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 in grants. 

In addition to the awards, we’re recognizing each teacher for the positive impact they’re making on our students. 

Douglas Brown 

A photo of STEM Educator Award winner Douglas Brown.

School: Central Columbia High School 

Grade(s): 9-12

Douglas has been a dedicated Agricultural and Environmental Science instructor at Central Columbia for 35 years, teaching courses about wildlife science, soil, horticulture, agricultural engineering and more. He has developed a curriculum focused on high-priority careers in agriculture and environmental science, helping instruct students on diverse career paths. His students recently won the 2025 Susquehanna Valley Regional Envirothon, further demonstrating how lessons learned in the classroom are making an impact beyond Central Columbia’s walls. 

Colleen Cook 

A photo of STEM Educator Award winner Colleen Cook with PPL Electric Utilities Regional Affairs Director Jonah Howe.

Grade(s): 6-8

Colleen has been a special education teacher at North Pocono since 2010, developing programs for students with autism and intellectual disabilities. She leads a program called The Brew Crew, a student-run coffee cart integrating STEM, communication and vocational skills. Funds from this grant will be used in part to further develop this program. In addition to her commitment to special education, Colleen has helped run several STEM fairs and events at the middle school. 

Judean Finkenbinder 

A photo of STEM Educator Award winner Judean Finkenbinder.

Grade(s): 5-8

Judean has been a teacher for 15 years, joining Susquenita in 2023. She is a dedicated STEM teacher at the middle school, weaving the Engineering Design Process into lessons to define problems and create solutions. Judean’s eighth grade students research and explore alternative energy sources and how they are used, creating wind turbines and measuring energy production. 

Ross Gunderson 

A photo of STEM Educator Award winner Ross Gunderson with PPL Electric Utilities Regional Affairs Director Kelly Palmer.

School: Eastern York High School 

Grade(s): 9-12 

Ross has taught for over a decade across several levels of education and has been a physics teacher at Eastern York since 2023. His hands-on curriculum includes artificial intelligence, helping students design 3D-printed rockets. Ross also serves as the advisor for the high school’s newly founded robotics club, creating additional learning opportunities for students and showcasing his passion for STEM outside of the classroom. 

Adam Zeni 

A photo of STEM Educator Award winner Adam Zeni.

School: Ephrata Middle School 

Grade(s): 6-8 

Adam’s passion for STEM shows in the projects he leads at the middle school, including What’s So Cool About Manufacturing, where students partner with local companies to design videos highlighting modern manufacturing. He also mentors students in the NASA TechRise Student challenge, guiding them as they design experiments for flight aboard NASA-sponsored vehicles. These programs are just part of his daily commitment to supporting hands-on STEM education in Ephrata. 

Congratulations to all this year’s winners — thank you for engaging the next generation of innovative thinkers. We wish you all a happy school year! 

For more information, click this link to view our news release.

Making learning accessible at the new Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion

Making learning accessible at the new Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion

May 28, 2024 | Community Involvement

With the snip of a ribbon, the Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion is ready to open the doors to its 67,000-square-foot facility. 

The Da Vinci Center had been housed at Cedar Crest College for the last 18-plus years, offering engaging learning opportunities through a series of exhibits. The new location in downtown Allentown offers twice the space, and twice the fun. 

“I have been waiting for the moment when I can see kids, families and teachers interacting with the experience,” said Lin Erickson, Executive Director and CEO of the Da Vinci Science Center. “We’ve been working really hard to raise money and design exhibits, and it’s all about the impact and how the community engages with the experiences.” 

A walk through the two-story center is a scientific adventure. There are numerous exhibits designed to teach visitors about topics that are relevant to our everyday lives – health, biology and the environment, to name a few – including one of our own. 

A group of three kids learning with PPL Electric's new solar panel exhibit.

Situated along the back wall on the first floor, our exhibit features an interactive lesson in how solar energy can power a home. Using light from the ceiling, visitors control a series of mirrors to reflect light on to a number of solar panels. Each panel powers a different room or appliance within the home, simulating how sunlight can charge our lives. Walking along the back wall, children and adults alike can read about the power of electricity, and some of the careers at PPL Electric Utilities that help keep the lights on every day. 

“It’s been really fun working with local companies like PPL and tapping into their expertise to develop these exhibits,” Erickson said. 

PPL has been a longtime partner with the science center, and we are thrilled to continue this relationship in a new space. We believe supporting a strong foundation in STEM education is critical to the success of today’s students and it helps create the highly skilled workforce of the future. We also believe this learning should be accessible to all. 

“We want to encourage access to STEM programs for all students,” said Lissette Santana, senior manager of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability. “One of our requests was to make sure that this world-class science center was accessible to the community; we want people who live and work in the area to come and enjoy this space, regardless of income.” 

After 18-plus years at its old location, the Da Vinci Science Center is excited for fun and education at PPL Pavilion for generations to come. 

“Thanks to PPL’s and many others’ support, we’ve built a science center for our children and grandchildren,” Erickson said. “And it will be right here in the Lehigh Valley; that is so cool.”