Twenty-five U.S. teachers whose classroom creativity has helped them demonstrate the wonders of math and science are being recognized by Raytheon as “Math Heroes.”
The Raytheon program provides each winner with a $2,500 award, in addition to a matching grant for his or her school.
The Math Heroes grant recognizes educators who implement innovative techniques and transformative programs that excite students and motivate them to pursue careers that include mathematics.
“I think they even forgot they are doing math,” said award recipient Coleen Barnes of West Allegheny High School in Imperial, Pennsylvania, who uses a competition called ‘Factoring Madness’ in her class. “It’s a great way to get the students to practice.”
2015 recipients
Raytheon Math Hero winners are nominated by students, parents and school administrators and selected based on the effective and creative ways teachers work with students in math and science, drawing on new and advanced approaches.
This year’s winners are:
* Jackie Adams, St. Louis de Montfort Catholic School, Fishers, Ind.
* Abdulkerim Akyalcin, Orlando Science Schools, Orlando, Fla.
* Colleen Barnes, West Allegheny High School, Imperial, Penn.
* Greg Benson, Booker Middle School, Sarasota, Fla.
* Matt Bixby, Challenge School, Denver, Colo.
* Joel Block, Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, Falls Church, Va.
* Jocelyn Bosley, Irving Middle School, Lincoln, Neb.
* Scott Boyce, Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnet, Los Angeles, Calif.
* JoMarie Broccoli, Nysmith School, Herndon, Va.
* Charles (Billy) Campbell II, Pueblo Magnet High School, Tucson, Ariz.
* Jeremy Carlino, Western School of Technology and Environmental Science, Catonsville, Md.
* Ozlem Duz Akyalcin, Orlando Science Schools, Orlando, Fla.
* Gregory Knowlton, Rocky Heights Middle School, Highlands Ranch, Colo.
* Elizabeth Grozis, Herndon High School, Herndon, Va.
* Wendy Hartman, Cornerstone Christian School, Camarillo, Calif.
* Christopher Hatten, Mildred Osborne Charter School, New Orleans, La.
* Brandon Lawrence, Hyde Park Middle School, Las Vegas, Nev.
* Heather Lohmann, Alva Middle School, Alva, Okla.
* Mark Mason, Danforth Middle School, New York, N.Y.
* Brook Randal, Austin Area Home Schoolers, Austin, Texas
* Steven Ruiz, ASU Preparatory Academy – Polytechnic Campus, Mesa, Ariz.
* Brandi Stennis, Justin Ford Kimball High School, Dallas, Texas
* Aaron Tostado, Da Vinci Science High School, Hawthorne, Calif.
* Yalcin Udun, Sonoran Science Academy Tucson, Tucson, Ariz.
* Anthony Verbsky, Highlands Ranch High School, Centennial, Colo.
For more information about the Math Hero Award program, including eligibility and submission requirements, please visit www.mathmovesu.com.