Tag Archives: STEM teachers

Louisiana teacher Lea Ann Fisher earns Golden Apple Award

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Lea Ann Fisher

I love to share stories about teachers who earn recognition for their dedication and hard work in the classroom. One of these is Lea Ann Fisher, a Career and Technical Education teacher at Bolton High School in Alexandria, Louisiana. She was named a recipient of the Golden Apple Award by her local television station KALB last November. This award honors outstanding teachers that go above and beyond in the classroom. Recipients are selected from nominations submitted by their students.

Lea Ann was nominated for the honor by her student Ironesha Woods. She stated that the impact Lea Ann has had on her life extends far beyond the classroom. “My teacher Mrs. Fisher is the most beautiful and kind woman I’ve ever met, and every time I feel like giving up, she always tells me that she loves me and she cares,” said Ironesha. “She was there when my mom passed and I love her for that. She means everything to me. She makes everything possible for my future, for the school future,” Ironesha continued.

Lea Ann’s career as an educator spans 14 years. She teaches engineering design, computer science, and Quest for Success. In addition to her classroom responsibilities, she serves as the advisor for her school’s Robotics and E-Sports clubs.

Th Golden Apple is not the only recognition Lea Ann has earned. She was named Bolton High’s Teacher of the Year for the 2019-2020 school year. And she is also a member of the prestigious professional organization Delta Kappa Gamma, serving as her local chapter’s Second Vice President.

Lea Ann earned her Bachelor’s degree in General Studies from Louisiana State University. There she minored in Theater, Photography, and English. She also earned a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology from American InterContinental University, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northwestern State University.

Congratulations, Lea Ann!

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Maureen Stover named 2021 National Teacher of the Year finalist

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Maureen Stover, a science educator from North Carolina, has been named one of four finalists for 2021 National Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Cumberland County Schools.

I enjoy sharing stories about exceptional educators who have garnered honors for their work in the classroom. One of these is Maureen Stover, a science educator from North Carolina, who has been named one of four finalists for 2021 National Teacher of the Year.

Currently, Maureen teaches biology, earth science, environmental science, and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) at Cumberland International Early College High School in Cumberland County Schools located in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She has taught there for five years.

Maureen says she wants her students to be able to make informed decisions in a world where they’ll interact with science every day. “I want to ensure that my students are prepared to talk about science, to read about science, to understand science, and to make decisions based on science,” Maureen said. “It will be important for each of my students to develop the ability to apply their science knowledge to a variety of situations, from understanding a doctor’s diagnosis to determining the environmental impact of a purchase as simple as a one-time-use water bottle,” she continued.
The honored educator uses a variety of approaches to teach her students, including reading activities, videos, direct instruction, teacher presentations, podcasts, and hands-on learning. She evaluates students with non-traditional performance assessments that display students’ preferred learning styles. For one unit, she said, students worked in pairs to write a song or a poem to demonstrate their understanding of the material. One student played her ukulele; another played her flute. “Because students had an opportunity to show their knowledge by developing their own project,” Maureen explained, “they took ownership of the assignment and were excited to demonstrate their knowledge of the concept.”
Maureen once said that her dream was to join the US Air Force and become a pilot. Unfortunately, a vision condition prevented her from achieving that goal. Instead, she served as an intelligence officer. She spent a total of 20 years in the military.
When Maureen left the Air Force, she started teaching in Florida through the federal Troops to Teachers program. After a stint in California where she worked as an educational consultant for the National Science Teaching Association, Maureen and her husband moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where the former Air Force officer accepted a teaching position at Cumberland International Early College High School. She has taught there for five years.

In 1997, Maureen earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at the US Air Force Academy. She earned a Leadership Certificate with an emphasis in STEM from Teachers College at New York’s Columbia University in 2016. The same year, she completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in STEM at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado. In 2020, she earned her Master’s degree in Teaching: Secondary Sciences Instruction from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Congrats on your selection as a Teacher of the Year finalist, Maureen!

Dr. Kim Lawe: Educator and escapee from Communist Viet Nam

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Kim Lawe, former  science educator and STEM school principal, now works for the Riverside County Office of Education in Riverside, California. Photo credit: Azusa Pacific University.

Here is the inspirational story of a very amazing educator, Dr. Kim Lawe. I worked with her at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, California, before I retired from the teaching profession in 2017. In the brief video below, Dr. Lawe shares a story about her family’s escape by boat from Communist Viet Nam following the fall of Saigon, and how she eventually grew up to become a teacher in the United States.

From her humble beginnings, Kim went through American schools, eventually earning her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Redlands University in Redlands, California. She earned her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Design from California Polytechnic University in Pomona, California. She completed the requirements for her Ph.D. at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. She inaugurated her career in education as a science teacher, eventually becoming the principal of the STEM academy in the Corona Norco Unified School District in Corona, California. Recently she accepted a position in the Riverside County Office of Education in Riverside, California.

“Our family’s journey from Vietnam to the US succeeded because of my father’s diligent planning, and because everyone shared a vision of where we were going and what we needed to do to get there,” Kim asserts. Now a leader in secondary education, this amazing Chalkboard Champion applies that same mindset to create a common mission among the faculty, staff, and students she serves, knowing that collective purpose put into action can achieve mighty things. “My history is a testament to that,” she declares. “I want them to know that together we can beat the odds and rise to the occasion, no matter the challenges.”

To read more about Dr. Kim Lawe. read this profile of her published by Azusa Pacific University.

Educator Bonnie Bracey Sutton: Spokesperson for the profession

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Educator and consultant Bonnie Bracey Sutton is a spokesperson for the profession.  (Photo credit: Educational Technology & Change)

I think it is wonderful when a fellow educators become spokespersons for our profession in Washington, DC. One such educator is Bonnie Bracey Sutton, a former elementary school teacher who now works as a technology consultant.

Bonnie taught at the Ashlawn Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, and was a teacher-in-residence at the Arlington Career Center, where she taught all subjects. Since 2004, Bonnie has served as the Education Director for Digital Equity and Social Justice. The Digital Equity Network enables educators, researchers, and educational reformers to be aware of policies, news, and new technologies. She is also an active member of the Digital Divide Network and does preventative work on cyber-bullying.

Bonnie was one of the first teachers to promote the role of the internet in classroom instruction. She was the only teacher selected by the Clinton administration to serve on the National Information Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIIAC). Bonnie also served as the lead educator on President Clinton’s 21st Century Teacher Initiative.

This remarkable educator is a graduate researcher at George Mason University’s Telecommunications Department, where she evaluated new programs and technologies. She was also a member of the George Lucas Educational Foundation advisory board.

Throughout her career, Bonnie has earned many accolades. She was named a Christa McAuliffe Educator for the National Foundation of Education, and she is a faculty member of the Challenger Center. She was  named a Young Astronaut teacher and, in 1990, was named a Challenger Fellow. That year she received the President’s Award in Teaching in Science. Bonnie has also attended the Hubbell Space Science Institute and holds honors in a variety of fields in educational fields, including technology, aerospace, physics, geography, and multicultural education. She has also earned a graduate degree from Marymount University SED program.

Bonnie Bracey Sutton: Truly a Chalkboard Champion. To read more about her, see her articles published by the George Lucas Foundation on Edutopia.

AZ educator Jill Jones earns Amazon Future Engineers Teacher of the Year Honor

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Computer Science educator Jill Jones from Phoenix, Arizona, has been named one of ten Amazon Future Engineer Teachers of the Year.

Congratulations are in order for computer science educator Jill Jones of Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix, Arizona. She has been recognized by Amazon as one of their Future Engineer Teachers of the Year. Jill was one of just ten educators from around the country who has earned the honor.

The honored educator will receive a total of $50,000 in technology equipment for her classroom and her school. This is the first year Amazon has distributed the awards. Jill was recognized by the technology giant for her dedication towards helping students in under-served and under-represented communities build real-world skills in computer science.

Carl Hayden High School is a public inner city school that faces many typical inner city school challenges. The student population is 97% Hispanic, and 98% of the students qualify for the federally assisted school lunch program. Many of the students are first generation immigrants, and most are the first in their family to graduate from high school. In selecting the ten recipients for the award, Amazon took into consideration the teacher’s commitment towards promoting diversity and inclusion within computer science education.

“Computer science skills will be of vital importance as we take on and solve the challenges of the future,” declared Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer.  “We are thrilled to honor these teachers,”  he continued.

“I am beyond humbled and honored to receive this award,” expressed Jill. “I hope to use it (the prize) to promote the message that computer science is for everyone,” she continued. “This award brings honor and recognition to our school and to all the hard-working and dedicated students we serve.”

Jill is a graduate of Arizona State University. Her career as an educator has spanned 30 years. To read more about this amazing educator, click on this link to Patch.com.