The California Science Teachers Association (CSTA) has selected two CSULB Science Education students as the winners of the 2007 Future Science Teacher Award. Padma Haldar and William Marc Berkstresser will receive their awards during an awards luncheon at the October 2007 CSTA Science Education Conference in Long Beach. The award is sponsored by SeaWorld and includes conference registration plus a $1,000 check. Padma and Marc are both outstanding students and have great promise as science teachers.
Padma joined the Single Subject Science Credential Program with us in fall 2006. When she joined us she already had a successful career as a programmer analyst. She holds a BS in electrical engineering and a Master's degree in computer engineering. She is completing her physics credential this fall. She was selected as a 2006-2007 Robert C. Noyce Scholar. As a Noyce Scholar she tutored 5 hours/week at Pioneer High School in Whittier Union High School District and she is committing to teach for at least two years in a high needs school district. Padma was a Teaching Associate at Young Scientists Camp 2007 and she will be an intern teacher at Warren High School in Downey this coming year.
Marc joined our credential program in fall 2006 as well. His life experiences thus far are different than most of our students. Like Padma, he comes to teaching as a second career. Marc majored in biology and English Literature and has a Master's in administration. He is a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserve having spent many years on active duty and conducting back-to-back tours in Iraq. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa and has participated in five Earth Watch programs. Marc serves on the National Science Teachers Association Preservice Teacher Preparation Committee. Marc was selected as a 2007-2008 Robert C. Noyce Scholar so he will be tutoring and teaching in a high needs school as well. Marc was a Teaching Associate for Young Scientists Camp in 2006 and 2007. He will be completing his credential in spring 2008.
Congratulations to both Marc and Padma. We know they will do great things in their classrooms!
Jill Grace (BS Marine Biology 1999, Single Subject Science Credential 2004) has been selected as a Teacher At Sea. She and her students at Palos Verdes Intermediate School have participated in the Student Experiments at Sea program for the last two years. Her students lab reports have won awards both years. As a result of her participation in the SEAS program she was eligible to apply for the Teacher at Sea project. She is the only teacher selected for this role. She'll be participating in a deep sea research project aboard the R/V Atlantis for 17 days this December. While at sea she'll interact with K-12 students from around the world, keep a weblog and work with scientists as they conduct deep sea research. What an exciting experience for her and her students. Congratulations Jill!
Each spring the Science Education Department gives out two different awards. The Robert Rhodes Award goes to a student who does an outstanding job during student teaching. The recipient must be doing traditional student teaching or be in their first year as an intern. They must be also be involved in the life of the department. This year's recipient was Meredith Ashbran. Meredith earned her Single Subject Science Credential in physics. She was a 2006 Robert C. Noyce Scholar at Cabrillo High School. She tutored at Cabrillo 5 hours/week, completed her student teaching assignment there and was hired by them to teach full time. She did an outstanding job as a student teacher and will be a great physics teacher.
The Department also gives a Distinguished Student Teaching Award to the top 10% of student teachers from the year. This award is open to interns as well as traditional student teachers. The winner this year was Lisa Battig. Lisa has taught chemistry at North High School in Torrance for the past three years. She did an outstanding job in the classroom and throughout the credential program.
We look forward to seeing what Meredith and Lisa do next. We expect great things from them! Congratulations to them both.
