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Awards Honor Local Teachers Who Foster Students’ Enthusiasm and
Curiosity about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
DALLAS (August 23, 2007) – Emphasizing its commitment to building
tomorrow’s workforce through education, the Texas Instruments (TI)
Foundation announced today the first ten teachers who will be inducted
into its new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academy
as fellows. The TI Foundation established the STEM awards last September
to recognize instructors at the secondary level who are enhancing student
achievement and increasing interest in high school classrooms in the Dallas,
Plano and Richardson independent school districts (ISD).
As STEM fellows, the teachers will participate in a day of activities
on October 4 at Texas Instruments as designed to expose them to interesting,
everyday uses of math and science in the technology business world. Recipients
also each receive $10,000, of which $5,000 is directly awarded to the
teacher. The other $5,000 is to be used at the teacher’s discretion
for professional development or instructional technology.
The TI Foundation committed $310,000 over three years to the program.
The grants are awarded through the Richardson ISD Tomorrow Foundation,
the Plano ISD Education Foundation and the Dallas Education Foundation.
These organizations will begin reviewing teachers’ applications
for next year’s awards during the fall.
“The disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math are
the tools of the 21st century,” said TI Foundation Chair Jack Swindle.
“These awards recognize innovative teaching and open new avenues
for outstanding teachers to expand their experience, and we hope that
they will inspire others to foster enthusiasm and generate curiosity about
these subjects among their students. The future competitiveness of the
next-generation workforce depends on the development of these skills.”
Principals nominated teachers for the STEM awards based on criteria, such
as demonstrating and documenting teaching effectiveness, establishing
classroom innovation, participating in education activities outside of
the classroom, encouraging curiosity and generating excitement in science,
technology, engineering and/or mathematics among students.
The ten award recipients are:
- Jennifer
Bernabo, Plano East Senior High School, Plano ISD. Bernabo
teaches chemistry and advanced placement (AP) chemistry for grades 11-12.
Last year, she organized and taught a Texas Assessment of Knowledge
and Skills (TAKS) test review class for seniors who had not passed the
science portion of the exit-level TAKS test. Every student in her class
passed TAKS when they retook the test.
- Angela
Ciszewski, Richardson North Junior High, Richardson ISD. Ciszewski
teaches seventh grade Power Block and Pre-AP mathematics. Before finding
her passion for teaching, she worked as an engineer for nearly seven
years. She thrives on leading her students to find real and relevant
connections between the classroom and their own lives. Ciszewski also
writes seventh grade math curriculum and conducts professional development
classes.
- Katy
Guzman, Thomas Jefferson High School, Dallas ISD. Pre-AP Algebra
II, Pre-AP Pre Calculus and AP Calculus AB for grades 10-12. Each summer,
Guzman conducts a summer calculus camp for incoming students to revamp
their pre-requisite skills.
- Heather
Hinds, Thomas Jefferson High School, Dallas ISD. Hinds teaches
multimedia and video technology for grades 10-12. Last summer, she taught
at a school camp where she had the students turn a script they wrote
into a movie. Hinds also provides training technology to other teachers
and wrote the district-wide semester exams for multimedia.
- Glen
Martin, School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell
Townview Center, Dallas ISD. Martin teaches Pre-AP Computer Science
I, AP Computer Science I (A), and AP Computer Science II (AB) for grades
9-12. His computer science program has been recognized by the College
Board for three consecutive years as “leading the nation”
in AP computer science A and AB. Three of his students have won the
5A state computer science UIL individual championship.
- Natalie
Mathew, W.H. Gaston Middle School, Dallas ISD. Mathew teaches
seventh grade science. She has established an interactive, team-based
classroom that engages students in real-world situations to enhance
their problem-solving skills. Mathew, who serves as a pod leader and
a mentor teacher, tutors after school two days a week.
- Theresa
M. Oriabure, Hillcrest High School, Dallas ISD. Oriabure teaches
Biology, Pre-AP Biology, AP Biology and AP Environmental Science for
grades 9, 10 and 12. She has facilitated workshops and serves as a mentor
for teachers new to AP biology. She has also written curriculum guides
for biology and AP biology, and she has developed benchmarks and Assessment
of Course Performance (ACP) Exams.
- Tamika
Prentiss, David W. Carter High School, Dallas ISD. Prentiss
teaches tenth-grade geometry and a TAKS preparation course. To engage
students, she facilitates non-traditional activities and lessons, such
as putting problem-solving steps to music. Prentiss also employs technology
in the classroom, including PowerPoint presentations, the E-instruction’s
classroom performance system and the SMART interactive board system
to enhance lectures.
- Mary
Ellen Sablick, Rice Middle School, Plano ISD. Sablick teaches
eighth grade math. She developed and taught a campus-based Power Math
curriculum that is designed to increase struggling students’ confidence
in their math ability.
- Kathleen
Weaver, Hillcrest High School, Dallas ISD. Weaver teaches AP
Computer Science II, AP Computer Science I, Computer Science I, and
Pre-AP Computer Science Webmastering. To facilitate learning, Weaver
uses technology in the classroom to monitor and assist students with
their assignments and to provide instant feedback on test scores. As
a result, students see technology as a seamless adjunct to their lives.
She has also written the District ACP Exams for Pre-AP computer science
for five years.
Although
TI has investments at all points in the education continuum, the company
is primarily focused on programs that help students at all levels perform
in science, technology, engineering and math.
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Note
to Editors: Photos from the awards reception will be available
after 6 p.m. CDT.
About
the Texas Instruments Foundation
The Texas Instruments Foundation, created in 1964, is a non-profit organization
providing philanthropic support for educational and charitable purposes
primarily in the communities where Texas Instruments operates. With a
significant focus on education, the TI Foundation has a national reputation
for developing measurable and replicable programs leading to systemic
change. Primary areas of attention include initiatives to enhance math
and science abilities of junior high and high school students; and support
to increase the number of engineering graduates in US universities. More
information can be found at http://www.ti.com/tifoundation
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