STEM Action Center to honor rockstar teachers

Clark Corbin | 09/27/2016

Leaders of the Idaho STEM Action Center are honoring two of Idaho’s most celebrated teachers for championing the subjects of science, technology, engineering and math.

On Tuesday, Caldwell teacher Melyssa Ferro and Boise teacher Sonia Galaviz were named winners of the INDEEDS Awards, the Industry’s Excellent Educators Dedicated to STEM awards.

The award was created in 2000 by former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne and is awarded to teachers who forge alliances between students, Idaho businesses and STEM education advocates.

“Melyssa and Sonia are passionate about inspiring the scientists and engineers of tomorrow,” Gov. Butch Otter said in a news release announcing the awards. “In addition to partnering with businesses and universities to create unique opportunities for students to experiences the fun and excitement of science, technology, engineering and math firsthand, they’re teaching kids how to apply those lessons in real-world settings.”

This isn’t the first time Ferro and Galaviz have been honored for teaching excellence. Ferro, who teaches at Syringa Middle School, is Idaho’s 2016 Teacher of the Year and was a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2015

Galaviz, the STEM coordinator at Garfield Elementary, is among just five teachers from across the country who will receive the NEA Foundation’s Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence in early 2017.

Galaviz and Ferro are scheduled to receive their INDEEDS awards during the Oct. 25 Idaho Innovation Awards Gala in Boise.

Both teachers will receive a check for $2,000, and STEM Action Center leaders will also present a $2,000 check to their schools with the support of The Discovery Center of Idaho.

“Efforts like theirs that bring industry and education together are critical to building the workforce Idaho needs,” Otter said.