The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all, announced the winners of the 2016 NSTA Teacher Awards program, which honors K-12 teachers, principals, professors and other science education professionals for their outstanding work and achievement in science education. The awards will be presented at a special banquet and ceremony on Friday, April 1, 2016, at the NSTA National Conference on Science Education in Nashville, TN.
NSTA will present its highest and most prestigious award, the Robert H. Carleton Award, to Dr. LaMoine Motz, NSTA Past President (1988-89) and national science facilities and safety consultant at The Motz Consulting Group. The Robert H. Carleton Award recognizes one individual who has made outstanding contributions to, and provided leadership in, science education at the national level and to NSTA in particular.
For more than 50 years, Dr. Motz has dedicated his life to science education. He spent 44 years in K-12 science teaching, teacher education and professional development and now manages The Motz Consulting Group, L.L.C., which provides specialized planning and design services, with a concentration in the sciences and technology, facilities and school business.
Motz has been actively involved with NSTA for more than 40 years, serving on the NSTA Board of Directors for three terms including one as President. He chaired numerous NSTA committees, including Research, Facilities, and Operations; Supervision; and Safety Advisory Board. He has served on more than 25 NSTA committees, task forces, advisory boards, and convention program planning teams. In addition to being NSTA's president, he served as president of four other associations.
Dr. Motz has many accomplishments including developing a county-wide teacher center in Michigan; establishing comprehensive professional development programs; directing a regional science, mathematics, and technology center; co-developing a four-year integrated science, mathematics, and technology high school; and founding the Oakland County Science Education Committee. Dr. Motz has received numerous awards, including the Michigan Science Teachers Association's Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Field of Science Education and NSTA's Distinguished Service Award to Science Education.
NSTA is also honoring the following award recipients:
NSTA Distinguished Service to Science Education Award
•Jay Labov, senior advisor for education and communication, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Washington, DC
NSTA Distinguished Teaching Award
•Victoria Jordan, science teacher/department head, Wellington Middle School, Wellington, CO
NSTA Distinguished Informal Award
•Margaret Glass, director of Professional Development, Association of Science-Technology Centers, Washington, DC
•Ronda Hamm, patent liaison & science ambassador chair, Dow AgroSciences LLC, Indianapolis, IN
NSTA Fellow Award
•Inez Liftig, NSTA field editor, Science Scope, Westport, CT
•Christine Royce, professor, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA
NSTA Presidential Citation
•Tyraine Ragsdale, Grand Hank, master scientist and television personality, Philadelphia, PA
NSTA Legacy Award
•Hans Oliver Andersen, NSTA president 1989-90, Bloomington, IN
Angela Award
•Eleanor Ann Schoenbrun, 7th-grade student, Hornedo Middle School, El Paso, TX
DuPont Pioneer Excellence in Agricultural Science Education Award, sponsored by DuPont Pioneer
•H. Marie Lemon, science teacher, Greenville Early College High School, Greenville, SC
Faraday Science Communicator Award
•Dr. The Lady Sue Dale Tunnicliffe, reader in science education, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, England UK
Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award for New Teachers
•Lily Apedaile, science teacher, Billings Career Center, Billings, MT
•Andrew Bean, science teacher, William E. Dever Elementary School, Chicago, IL
•Colleen Buzby, science teacher, Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Bridgewater, NJ
•Catherine Calogero, science teacher, Highbridge Green School, Bronx, NY
•Heather Carter, science teacher, Woodland Middle School at Euharlee, Euharlee, GA
•Shane Chinni, science teacher, Barbara Jordan Elementary, St. Louis, MO
•Kevin Frederick, science teacher, Booker T. Washington STEM Academy, Champaign, IL
•Tori Frezza, science teacher, National Cathedral School, Washington, DC
•Allison Jaycox, science teacher, Muscatine High School, Muscatine, IA
•Rhochelle Krawetz, science teacher, Blackstone Valley Prep, Central Falls, RI
•Nicholas Krissie, science teacher, Sunset School, Coos Bay, OR
•Kammas Murphy, science teacher, St. Elizabeth High School, Wilmington, DE
•Keila Olmeda, science teacher, Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School, Bethlehem, PA
•Erin Park, science teacher, Battle Mountain High School, Vail, CO
•Michael Perez, science teacher, Sato Academy of Mathematics and Science, Long Beach, CA
•Daniella Perry, science teacher, Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy #8, Los Angeles, CA
•Taylor Planz, science teacher, Bennett Middle School, Bennett, CO
•Diane Radov, science teacher, Roland Park Country School, Baltimore, MD
•Amanda Richter, science teacher, Crone Middle School/Indian Prairie School District 204, Naperville, IL
•Jeremy Siegel, science teacher, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Chicago, IL
•Theila Smith, science teacher, The Math & Science Exploratory School, Brooklyn, NY
•Jessica Suri, science teacher, Monroe County Community School Corporation, Bloomington, IN
•Gregory Taylor, science teacher, Thurgood Marshall STEM High School, Dayton, OH
•Jane Thompson, science teacher, Gulfport High School, Gulfport, MS
•Jonathan Trebble-Greening, science teacher, Uplift Luna High School, Dallas, TX
Northrop Grumman Foundation Excellence in Engineering Education Award, sponsored by Northrop Grumman Foundation
•Jose Rivas, science teacher, Lennox Math, Science & Technology Academy, Lennox, CA
PASCO STEM Educator Awards, sponsored by PASCO Scientific
•Middle Level: Chris McChesney, science & engineering teacher, Pikesville Middle School, Baltimore, MD
•High School Level: Jacqueline Fernandez, science teacher/STEM director, LAYC-Career Academy Public Charter School, Washington, DC
•High School Level: Brandie Freeman, science teacher, Woodland High School, Cartersville, GA
Robert E. Yager Foundation Excellence in Teaching Awards
•Yager Scholar and District XI Recipient: Rob Lamb, science teacher, Pattonville School District, Maryland Heights, MO
•District III Recipient: Tiffany Taylor, science teacher, St. Charles High School/CCPS, Waldorf, MD
•District V Recipient: Megan Faliero, science teacher, Durant High School, Plant City, FL
•District IX Recipient: Julie Olson, science teacher, Second Chance High/Mitchell High School, Mitchell, SD
•District XV Recipient: Sharla Dowding, science teacher, Glenrock High School, Glenrock, WY
•District XVII Recipient: Alfonso Garcia Arriola, science teacher, ACCESS Academy, Portland Public Schools, Portland, OR
Ron Mardigian Memorial Biotechnology Explorer Award, sponsored by Bio-Rad Laboratories
•Nicki Derryberry, biotechnology science teacher, Red Mountain High School, Tempe, AZ
SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Outstanding Environmental Educator Award, sponsored by SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment
•Bev Bryant, interpretive naturalist, Wehr Nature Center, Franklin, WI
Shell Science Teaching Award, sponsored by Shell Oil Company
•Awardee: Aaron Osowiecki, science teacher, Boston Latin School, Boston, MA
•Finalist: Joel Truesdell, chemistry teacher, Kamehameha Schools, Hilo, HI
•Finalist: Russell "Ben" Walker, science teacher, Romig Middle School, Anchorage, AK
Shell Science Lab Challenge, sponsored by Shell Oil Company, lab equipment sponsored by Ward's Science
•Grand Prize Winner: Alicia Conerly, science teacher, South Pike High School, Magnolia, MS (Team members include: Deandra Johnson, Chander Jenkins, and Tony Richardson)
•National Finalist: Dr.Rene Corrales, science teacher, STAR Academic Center, Tucson, AZ
•National Finalist: Catherine Krygeris, science teacher, Mardela Middle/High School, Mardela Springs, MD
•National Finalist: Petra McCullough, science teacher, Sunset School, Oak View, CA
•National Finalist: Roy "Jay" Renfro, science teacher, Knowledge Academies, Antioch, TN
Shell Urban Science Educator Development Award, sponsored by Shell Oil Company
•Olukayode Banmeke, science teacher, Duval High School, Lanham, MD
•Aja Brown, science teacher, P.S. 214 Lorraine Hansberry Academy, Bronx, NY
•Paul Orbe, science teacher, Academy for Enrichment and Advancement, Union City, NJ
•Vanessa Perez, science teacher, Sul Ross Middle School, San Antonio, TX
•Elena Reyes Lovins, science teacher, Amboy Elementary School, Sherwood, AR
•Sarah Tazghini, science teacher, Khalil Gibran International Academy, Brooklyn, NY
•Pearlie Walker, science teacher, T.J. Harris Upper Elementary School, Meridian, MS
Sylvia Shugrue Award for Elementary School Teachers
•Debra Ericksen, science teacher, Adamsville Primary School, Bridgewater, NJ
Vernier Software & Technology Awards, sponsored by Vernier Software & Technology
•Elementary Level: Sherie Ryan-Bailey, science teacher, Oakley Elementary School, Asheville, NC
•Middle Level: Greer Harvell, science teacher, Walton Middle School, Defuniak Springs, FL
•Middle Level: Aaron Mueller, science teacher, Scullen Middle School/Indian Prairie School District 204, Naperville, IL
•High School Level: Richard Erickson, science teacher, Bayfield High School, Bayfield, WI
•High School Level: Ben Smith, science teacher, Peninsula High School, Rolling Hills, CA
•High School Level: Dan Starr, science teacher, Green Lake School, Green Lake, WI
•College Level: Kasey Wagoner, assistant physics professor, Philadelphia University, Philadelphia, PA
Wendell G. Mohling Outstanding Aerospace Educator Award
•Wendi Laurence, adjunct faculty, Portland State University, Park City, UT
"These teachers and science education professionals have shown tremendous dedication and commitment to their students and to science education," noted NSTA President Carolyn Hayes. "We are so proud to honor them as they help to inspire the next generation of informed citizens, scientists, engineers, and innovators who can embrace all that science can offer."
NSTA encourages science educators to apply for its 2017 NSTA Teacher Awards. For information, visit www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx.