Manville STEAM Supervisor Honored With Statewide Excellence Award

MANVILLE, NJ — Manville School District announced that Dr. Christa Mawn, the district’s supervisor of STEAM, has received the 2026 Emerging Professional Award from Learning Forward New Jersey.

Mawn was formally recognized during the Learning Forward New Jersey Annual Day of Learning conference on March 25.

The Emerging Professional Award recognizes educational leaders who show promise, support the professional growth of colleagues and affect student achievement through instructional leadership.

The district said Dr. Mawn has helped refine Manville’s STEAM curriculum since joining the school system. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Learning Forward New Jersey highlighted Mawn's work in building collaborative learning communities during the conference. Her work has emphasized data-driven instruction and a more modern approach to technology integration in the district.

"Dr. Mawn has an incredible ability to translate complex educational standards into actionable, exciting classroom experiences," said Ms. Kelli Eppley, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction and Dr. Mawn’s immediate supervisor. "Her leadership goes beyond just managing a department; she truly invests in the professional journey of every teacher she works with. This award is a testament to her dedication to our staff and, ultimately, to the success of our students here in Manville. We are so fortunate to have her on our leadership team."

The district said those efforts have helped position Manville as a leader in STEAM education within the region. Learning Forward New Jersey is the state affiliate of Learning Forward, which the district described as an international association of learning educators.

The organization’s mission is to build the capacity of leaders to establish and sustain highly effective professional learning.

"Dr. Mawn embodies the spirit of lifelong learning," added Superintendent Dr. Jamil Maroun. "Her recognition by a statewide organization like Learning Forward NJ confirms what we see every day in our hallways: a leader who is passionate, innovative, and deeply committed to excellence."