Two passionate and student-focused teachers who are quietly but dramatically influencing and inspiring the next generation of geoscience achievement have been named recipients of this year’s top educator awards presented by the AAPG Foundation.
They are:
- Claiborne “Clay” Morton, AP environmental science teacher at Fayetteville High School in Fayetteville, Ark., who has been named the AAPG Foundation’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, awarded annually to a K-12 teacher in the United States who has demonstrated excellence and outstanding leadership in the field of geoscience education.
- Julie Bloxson, associate professor of Earth Sciences and Geologic Resources at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, who is this year’s AAPG Foundation Inspirational Geoscience Educator Award recipient, also awarded annually for university and college level educators who have creatively and with excellence inspired their geoscience students.
Both will receive a $6,000 prize, and will be honored at the Foundation’s Chairman’s Reception, set Aug. 27 in Houston during IMAGE ’25.
But both have something else in common, too: Although they are being honored specifically for their excellence in teaching, both have demonstrated real-world, practical impacts far beyond the classroom, with a devotion to geoscience education that is attracting national attention.
You might have heard of Julie Bloxson, for example, in conjunction with her recent role as general chair of GeoGulf 25, where she created and led a program that emphasized the interaction of geoscience students with industry professionals.
And you might have heard of Clay Morton, for example, on the nationally televised program “CBS Sunday Morning,” where his devotion to educational excellence was spotlighted not just through his students but via his devotion to the professor who first inspired him to become a geologist.
(See accompanying stories for more on both teachers.)
AAPG Foundation chair Jim McGhay said the Trustees were “proud and very pleased to be honoring these two amazing teachers, both geologists in their own rights, and to celebrate their achievements.
“They have not only taught with intelligence and knowledge, but their approaches have personally inspired thousands of students to become better geoscientists – and also, better people, and we eagerly say to them, congratulations!”
McGhay said that announcing the educator awards recipients “is always an exciting moment for us at the Foundation, because so much of our work is done is support of geoscience education. It is an important part of who we are.
“Obviously, both Clay and Julie bring excellence to their profession – the praise from their peers and, importantly, their students are reason enough to celebrate and honor their achievements, and their character,” McGhay said.
“But they also represent something much more important,” he added. “They are both creative and relevant in their approaches to geoscience education – even to the very meaning of what geoscience education means to and can be for today’s students.
“They both inspire, but they also engage in ways that build community and a sense of importance throughout the world of geosciences,” he said. “Their approach is practical, but it’s also personal, and the testimonials that they’ve both received are evidence that, because of their teaching, geoscience is attracting the best and the brightest.”
“Geoscience education is all about the future,” McGhay said, “and in their hands, the future looks very bright.”
Support for the two awards, as well as all Foundation initiatives toward promoting geoscience excellence, is possible because of gifts to the AAPG Foundation.
A huge portion of those gifts, in turn, are directly used to support, promote and encourage geoscience education around the world, for people of all ages – millions of dollars have gone toward grants, scholarships and geoscience education development and encouragement.
“We do this because geoscience education support is important, not just for today’s students, but for what that means to tomorrow’s energy potential,” McGhay said.
“And we do it proudly, because this is an important priority to so many of our supporters.”
A reminder: Everyone can nominate a teacher for each of the Foundation honors – administrators, colleagues, students, parents, faculty members.
Also, everyone can contribute to these programs.
For more information on the programs or how to easily contribute to the funds, visit the AAPG Foundation website, or email [email protected].