Teachers and Mentors To Receive Presidential Award At White HouseTeachers and Mentors To Receive Presidential Award At White House
Teachers and Mentors are gathering in Washington DC this week to receive recognition as recipients of The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching or The Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. “These awards represent a heartfelt salute of appreciation to a remarkable group of individuals who have devoted their lives and careers to helping others and in doing so have helped us all,” said President Obama when the names of the recipients were released in July. The Awards are being incorporated into the President’s “Educate To Innovate” campaign and the President is expected to announce key new partnerships to help reach the Administration’s goal of “moving American students from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade”.
Kendra Pullen of Shreveport, LA, was chosen to guest blog for the White House. It is easy to see why she is an award recipient as she exemplifies the kind of enthusiasm and creativity science teachers will need to meet the President’s goals. Ms. Pullen says that she believes “students learn best when they are involved in their learning” and has a “hands-on, minds-on” system where she assists her students to master science skills through “observing, classifying, dancing, producing art, researching scientific topics, using different forms of media, and creating models”.
The Maria Mitchell Association on Nantucket is among the mentoring organizations chosen. The non-profit association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of astronomer and educator Maria Mitchell who gained recognition after she discovered a comet in 1847. The facility offers a museum, aquarium and observatory with a motto of “Explore, Educate, Enjoy”, inspired by Mitchell’s belief in “learning by doing”.
Project Exploration also presents young people with the opportunity to learn through “hands-on experiences and fieldwork”. A non-profit organization founded in 1999, it provides a “new model for seizing after-school, weekend and summer opportunities to engage young people’s sense of wonder and curiosity”.
“By fostering and supporting long-term relationships with students, and targeting students who may not be academically successful, Project Exploration is working to change the face of science-one student at a time,” Lyon said.
Nearly 1000 Chicago Public School middle and high school students have participated in programs over the past nine years.
Recipients will be awarded tomorrow at the White House and the event will be webcast at www.whitehouse.gov/live. The winners are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians, and educators following an initial selection process done at the state level.