Four of Idaho’s top science teachers are vying for a chance to represent the state as Presidential Award winners.
Last week, the four teachers were honored during the state’s annual Fall Science Conference, held at Rexburg’s Madison High School, officials from the Idaho State Department of Education Announced.
The honorees included:
- Jason George of Vision Charter School in Caldwell.
- Jeffrey Karlin of Lewiston High School.
- Micah Lauer of Heritage Middle School in Meridian.
- Laura Wommack of Potlatch Junior/Senior High.
Now that the state representatives have been selected, they are vying to become Idaho’s representative in the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
The national winner will receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation and a trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in a series of award ceremonies and professional development events.
According to the National Science Foundation, “This award recognizes those teachers who develop and implement a high-quality instructional program this is informed by content knowledge and enhances student learning.”
Idaho teachers receive grants
The Idaho CapEd Foundation has awarded classroom grants designed to help eight local teachers launch their creative ideas and projects.
The CapEd Foundation grants are a part of the organization’s teacher grant project, which will award grants every month through March to Idaho teachers.
September winners included:
- Rachel Burk, Rimrock Junior/Senior High in Bruneau, $658 to help buy books for the school library. Due to budget constraints, Burk said the school hasn’t purchased any new books for its library since 2009.
- Brenda Carrier, West Canyon Elementary in Caldwell, $750 to help pay for a STEM night at the school and a visit by Discovery Technology’s mobile STEM bus.
- Kendra Day, Skyview High in Nampa, $750 for groceries and supplies that students with disabilities will use within the school’s kitchen.
- Anne Elmore, Alturas Elementary in Hailey, $750 to purchase additional books that students will take home to read with their parents.
- Carie Jackson, New Plymouth Middle School, $750 for a unit dedicated to designing testing and collecting data on air-powered rockets.
- Janel Myers, Morningside Elementary in Twin Falls, $750 for Ozobots, Lego WeDo Kits, engineering and coding tools to help encourage young students to participate in STEM and robotics activities.
- Tina Smith, Hidden Springs Elementary in Boise, $423.58 for picture frames and supplies to display student artwork and link Hidden Springs to the Ada County Library through art.
- Sarah Westcott, The Ambrose School in Meridian, $750 to support the science department budget by integrating physics and human biology classes with a laboratory exploration.
All teachers teaching in Pre-K through 12th grade at an accredited Idaho school are eligible to apply for the monthly grants. More information is online at the CapEd Foundation’s website, and the deadline to apply for the next monthly round of grants is Oct. 10.
