The Bainbridge Island Kiwanis Club has selected Enrique Chee, Bainbridge High School physics teacher, science department chairman, Rocketry Club advisor, and the school’s robotics coach as its 2015 “Educator of the Year.”

This annual award program honors an educator who has made extraordinary efforts toward improving the education of Bainbridge Island children.

Besides recognition, the award includes a $500 payment to the honoree, and an additional $500 to their school.

Chee is the seventh recipient of this annual award. Kiwanis Club President John Jay will present the award to Chee at a 7 a.m. Wednesday, July 15 breakfast meeting at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church.

“Bainbridge High School Principal Mary Alice O’Neill, numerous parents, students, both past and present, teachers, district administrators, and community business leaders nominated Chee for this honor,” said Jay. “The many specific comments made about his superior teaching ability, the countless volunteer hours he dedicates to after-school activities, and his committed relationship with his students make him a truly worthy recipient of this year’s award.”

The overriding theme found throughout the 40 individual nomination letters noted that Chee is an instructional leader who has gone far beyond the boundaries of the classroom to help improve the science program for all Bainbridge Island students.

Chee has been an educator for 24 years, 14 of those have been spent at BHS. He was born in Hong Kong and came to the U.S. at the age of 2, and was raised in New York City. He received an engineering degree from Rutgers University and then served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras.

After receiving a Peace Corps fellowship, he then attended Columbia University where he earned a master’s degree in science education.

He lives on the island with his wife, Liz Finin and their daughter Emma.