Dr. Donna Lizotte Named RI Biology Teacher of the Year
July 6, 2026
We already knew Donna Lizotte P’18, P’20, P’24 was the best biology teacher in the land (and the lab), but now it’s official! Please join us in congratulating Dr. Lizotte for being named Rhode Island’s 2026 Outstanding Biology Teacher Awardee (OBTA) by the National Association of Biology Teachers!
The OBTA, which was created in 1962, is one of the association’s most prestigious awards. It recognizes the best biology and life science teacher in each of the 50 states, Washington, DC, the Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico, and overseas territories.
In sharing the news of the award with Dr. Lizotte, NABT Region Coordinator Don Pinkerton said her teaching peers “welcome you to the tradition of excellence that represents the OBTA.”
Dr. Lizotte has established a tradition of excellence in her Upper School classes as well. “Donna’s dedication to her students and to the Biology program at Wheeler is remarkable,” said Science Department Chair Sarah Berthiaume Leduc P’32. “Over the past decade, she has created the Molecular Biology program from the ground up and grown it into one of the Wheeler Science Department’s signature programs. Through her vision and determination, she has created incredible opportunities for countless students, inspired a love of science, and developed a program that is a source of pride for our school. Her impact can be seen in the success of her students, the colleagues she inspires, and the lasting legacy she has created. This award recognizes teachers who make a meaningful impact, and that is exactly what Donna has done!”
The National Association of Biology Teachers will celebrate Dr. Lizotte and her fellow awardees this October at its annual Professional Development Conference in Dallas, TX.
“I am honored to be recognized by NABT with this award,” Dr. Lizotte told us after returning from the Global Experience trip to the Galápagos Islands, which she led. “I am truly passionate about introducing my students to Biology and Molecular Biology, and their enthusiasm and curiosity to learn inspire me every day. I feel so lucky to have spent the majority of my teaching career at Wheeler, where I have had the opportunity to grow and learn from so many truly amazing colleagues.”
By the way, there will soon be another reason for Dr. Lizotte – and her students – to celebrate, when they welcome a few new exciting pieces of equipment to the Molecular Biology course next school year, including a shaking water bath, a photo-documentation imaging system, and a Trans-Blot Turbo Transfer System. We’ll have more on those experiment enhancements in a future story!
