Gary Vorwald Honored by STANYS Suffolk Section
P.J. Gelinas Junior High School science teacher and school science department chairman Gary Vorwald has been named the 2013 Middle School Level Science Teacher of the Year Award winner by the Suffolk County Section of the Science Teachers Association of New York State. This award is given to teachers who have been nominated by their administration, colleagues or other science professionals. Eileen Gerle, a Brookhaven Town environmental educator, nominated Mr. Vorwald based on his commitment to education and for providing experiences for his students to conduct science in the field.
Mr. Vorwald started his teaching career in 1986 at Island Trees Public Schools, after working for several years as an exploration petroleum geologist. For the last 16 years he has taught earth science, eighth-grade physical science, science research and seventh-grade science at Gelinas, while also serving as the science department chairman.
In addition to his teaching and leadership roles at Gelinas, Mr. Vorwald is the head coach of the school’s Science Olympiad teams, a role he describes as his most successful and rewarding experience. Mr. Vorwald devotes countless hours to the program, leading the school’s five teams, which encompass 75 members. Under Mr. Vorwald’s leadership, this program has advanced to compete at the state and national levels for the past 10 years.
As a lifetime learner, he has always endeavored to continue his professional growth. One such opportunity was his participation in a field program on the Juneau Icefield in Alaska. Besides gaining first-hand knowledge about glacial geology and glaciology, he developed learning activities that he's shared with colleagues and teachers throughout the state.
Seeking to share best practices, Mr. Vorwald has also served as an earth science mentor for the New York State Education Department as well as a local BOCES. He has been very involved in STANYS, serving at both the statewide and section levels. His service in the Suffolk Section has included section chairman, secretary, vice president for programs and newsletter editor. He represents the Suffolk Section at the state level as a Board of Directors member and is currently the chair of the STANYS Fellows committee.
Drawing on his experiences with the award-winning Science Olympiad Gelinas team, he shares his expertise with colleagues by presenting each year at the annual Science Olympiad coaches workshop, and he serves the state organization as an event writer and supervisor. Beyond the school year, he has presented summer workshops for the Eastern and Western Suffolk BOCES, was a program instructor at a three-week summer enrichment program at Stony Brook University for 30 gifted high school students from around the state, and has created a class titled “Science Olympiad Adventures” to nurture young middle school scientists as part of the district’s enrichment program.
A hallmark of Mr. Vorwald’s approach in delivering science to his students is providing them with field experiences. He's integrated inquiry activities into his curriculum that utilize the investigation of features around the school and within the community. He developed and organized a trip to Niagara Falls, which brought hundreds of students to upstate New York to witness nature’s forces firsthand and collect fossils and minerals. He has facilitated Astronomy Nights during which a state-of-the-art telescope, purchased via a district grant, is used to view the nighttime sky.
Regarding Mr. Vorwald’s work with the Three Village Central School District, Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Pedisich said, “His teaching and leadership experiences throughout his career have distinguished him as an exceptional teacher and dedicated and passionate educator, who serves as a mentor to both students and staff.” She went on to note, “Mr. Vorwald serves the children, community and staff of Three Village with skill and dedication."