Wyoming Education Association

Winter 2012

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Schmick Named Outstanding Teacher In Chemistry Lonna Schmick, a science teacher at Southeast High School in Yoder in Goshen County School District #1, has been named the Outstanding Teacher in High School Chemistry in the Rocky Mountain Region by the American Chemical Society (Division of Chemical Education). The purpose of the award is to recognize, encourage, and stimulate outstanding teachers of high school chemistry in the Rocky Mountain Region. That region of the ACS consists of the following local sections: Central Arizona, Central New Mexico, Central Utah, Colorado, Salt Lake, Southern Arizona, and Wyoming. Lonna's award includes a $1,000 cash award and a plaque. "I felt so honored just to be nominated and was truly amazed that I received the award among so many deserving educators. [It's] a wonderful experience to be recognized for something I love to do every day," exclaimed Lonna. She also said she feels very blessed to be able teach at Southeast School—it is a small, K-12 school with about 25 students per grade. This is her eighth year teaching at Southeast and her ifteenth year teaching. She currently teaches 7th-8th grade science and 11-12th grade chemistry. Schmick has also been named the Goshen County Teacher of the Year. She was nominated for the regional chemistry award by a Doctoral Fellow with whom she had the opportunity to work last school year as part of the University of Wyoming EE-GK-12 Nanotechnology program that is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Lonna said the program coordinator from UW was a huge help is getting the program to her school and coordinating all the efforts involved. The Nanotech program partners public school math and science teachers with Fellows who are currently doing research in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) disciplines. The goal of this program is essentially to connect or bridge actual research done at UW with the standards that are being taught within secondary math and science curricula. The program generally looks at more rural schools that may not have the same access to technology as other schools closer to college campuses. Schmick said she and the Fellows worked together to design lessons that blended their knowledge and research into her class curriculum. One of the Fellows who worked with her brought a new level of technological education to her class by using his knowledge in the atomic spectrum. "It was a wonderful learning experience not only for my students but for myself as well," said Schmick. Nominees are judged on the quality of the nominee's teaching, with an emphasis on unusually effective methods of presentation; ability to challenge and inspire students; extracurricular work in chemistry or a chemical science, including science fairs, science clubs, and activities that stimulate the interest of young people in chemistry and related sciences; a willingness to keep up-to-date in the ield, as evidenced by the pursuit of a higher degree in chemistry or a chemical science, enrollment in refresher courses and summer institutes, regular attendance at scientiic meetings, membership in professional organizations, and other means of self-improvement; and evidence of leadership and/or active involvement within the profession. Safe Treat is the University of Wyoming's way for children throughout the Laramie commun their children to the UW Student Union, whe way through the tables set out all over the bu Recognized Student Organizations on campu sororities and fraternities, and other campus g run by eight members. The group provided a could put together and some dry ice that prod with, and then of course they could pick out Seventeen students from Centennial Elementary School hiked into the Snowy Range to pick out and cut down their own school Christmas trees. This has been a tradition for over 30 years, and was started by former Centennial teacher and WEARetired member Rob Young. Students ranged from 2nd to 6th grade: eight students from WEA member Shawn Green's 2nd4th grade classroom and nine from WEA Member Sarah Skinner's 5th/6th grade class. For information about this award, visit www.acs.org. 14 WINTER 2012 Winter 2012.indd 14 | WEAnews 12/14/12 3:23 PM

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