SUBMITTED PHOTO The Indiana Department of Education has named Kelli Sommers, a teacher at Rosa Parks Elementary, as a state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Sommers and the other five state finalists – all of whom have advanced to the national competition – will be honored during a luncheon Oct. 4. “Proficiency in mathematics and science is vital to a well-rounded education,” said Dr. Jennifer McCormick, Indiana superintendent of public instruction. “I am extremely proud of our Indiana finalists and want to recognize them for their dedication to excellence in these subjects.” The Presidential Awards are the nation’s highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science. Sommers is in the running for a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.