Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin

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NOMINATIONS ENCOURAGED FOR PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS

FOR EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHING (PAEMST)

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The National Science Foundation is currently accepting nominations and applications for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) program. Enacted by Congress in 1983, this program authorizes the President to bestow up to 108 awards each year. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Awards are given to mathematics and science teachers from each of the 50 states and four U.S. jurisdictions. The jurisdictions are Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; Department of Defense Schools; and the U.S. territories as a group (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). The teachers are recognized for their contributions to teaching and learning and their ability to help students make progress in mathematics and science.

In addition to honoring individual achievement, the goal of the award program is to exemplify the highest standards of mathematics and science teaching. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. The 2011 Awards will honor math and science teachers working in grades 7-12, and the nomination deadline is April 1. This date gives the nominated teacher enough time to thoroughly prepare an application prior to the application deadline of May 2. Elementary school teachers (Grades K-6) are eligible to apply in 2012. Anyone may nominate a teacher by completing the nomination form available at www.paemst.org. Teachers may also initiate the application process at www.paemst.org/apply.    

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NASA CELEBRATES TRAILBLAZERS DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH EVENT

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NASA's women took the spotlight last week in a Women's History Month event showcasing their achievements in aeronautics and space exploration initiatives. The event gave students a chance to interact with an astronaut and other women working in science and technology careers. NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver hosted the event for an audience of approximately 200 elementary through high school-level students from the Washington, DC area. "Women have made tremendous contributions to NASA over the years," she said. "They've been astronauts, scientists, engineers, and program managers -- and served in many other capacities. We have an obligation to reach out to the next generation and inspire today's girls to pursue science and technology careers. Expanding opportunities in these fields will give perspectives and expertise to win the future."

During the event, NASA announced the creation of a new website that features women who work at NASA telling their stories in their own words. The website has 32 video interviews with women of diverse backgrounds who represent different aspects of the agency's work. Subjects discuss their accomplishments and offer encouragement to women and girls considering technical careers so they can become the trailblazers of tomorrow. The site also provides information about NASA internships and career opportunities. More details are at http://women.nasa.gov. For information about NASA's other education programs, visit www.nasa.gov/education.       

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COLLEGE BOARD HONORS FOUR DISTRICTS WITH AP AWARD

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Four school districts in the nation will be honored by the College Board with 2011 AP District of the Year awards for opening AP classroom doors to a significantly broader pool of students while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher. Three of these districts -- Chicago Public Schools (IL - large district); Colton Joint Unified School District (Colton, CA - medium district); and West New York School District (West New York, NJ - small district) -- achieved the most significant improvements in the nation in access to college-level AP courses while maintaining or improving student performance on the end-of-course AP Exam. One district, Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, FL, will receive the Beacon Award for its profound achievement in using AP to create a culture focused on college readiness. The 2011 AP District of the Year awards will be presented at a celebratory plenary session at the AP Annual Conference in San Francisco on July 22. Additionally, the College Board has released an AP Achievement List of 388 school districts that have had similar successes. "These districts are defying expectations by expanding access while improving scores," said College Board President Gaston Caperton. "We will work closely with each of the AP District of the Year winners to document what they are doing so we can share their best practices with all members of the AP community." Participation in college-level AP courses can level the playing field for underserved students, give them the confidence needed to succeed in college, and raise standards and performance in key subjects such as science and math. Many U.S. school districts have focused on expanding access to AP courses as part of a strategy for fostering college readiness.

The College Board's Advanced Placement Program (AP) enables students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school. Through more than 30 college-level courses, each culminating in a rigorous exam, AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both. Taking AP courses also demonstrates to college admission officers that students have sought the most rigorous curriculum available to them. Each AP teacher's syllabus is evaluated and approved by college faculty from some of the nation's leading institutions, and AP Exams are developed and scored by college faculty and experienced AP teachers. AP is accepted by more than 3,800 colleges and universities worldwide, including over 90 percent of four-year institutions in the United States. In 2010, 1.8 million students representing more than 17,000 schools around the world, both public and nonpublic, took 3.2 million AP Exams. More details are at www.collegeboard.org.   

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INTERNATIONAL SUMMIT ON THE TEACHING PROFESSION

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Last week, the U.S. Department of Education completed its two-day International Summit on the Teaching Profession in New York. The event marked the first time education ministers, teachers, and union leaders from around the world convened in the United States to discuss best practices in building a world-class teaching force. Foreign delegations from high performing and rapidly improving educational systems, including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, The People's Republic of China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom, joined the United States in holding discussion sessions focused on Teacher Recruitment and Preparation; Development, Support, and Retention of Teachers; Teacher Evaluation and Compensation; and Teacher Engagement in Education Reform. The U.S. Department of Education, together with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Education International (EI), and U.S.-based organizations including the National Education Association (NEA), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), Asia Society, and WNET, hosted the summit to help spread effective policies and practices to strengthen and elevate the teaching profession in ways that improve educational outcomes for children in all societies.

"It's clear that no two countries are the same but that doesn't mean we don't face common challenges," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "The International Summit on the Teaching Profession is an extraordinary opportunity to broaden our perspective on how to effectively recruit and support teachers. This is an area where we need to move forward with a sense of urgency because building a strong teaching force is critical to having a successful education system." A background paper, entitled "Building a High Quality Teaching Force" and composed by the OECD, outlines international analysis, lessons and examples around recruiting, preparing, supporting, developing, evaluating, compensating, and retaining teachers. Throughout the summit, common themes emerged around successful practices. Participants voiced shared interest in elevating the professional status of teachers, partnering with teachers in education reform to produce successful outcomes and building collaboration between unions and education leaders to ensure overall progress. More details and the background paper are online.  

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'CRACKING THE CODE' WINS INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH FOR MATH WHIZ

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Intel Corporation and Society for Science & the Public (SSP) has announced the winners of the Intel Science Talent Search. Evan O'Dorney, 17, of Danville, CA, won the top award of $100,000 from the Intel Foundation for his mathematical project in which he compared two ways to estimate the square root of an integer. Evan discovered precisely when the faster way would work. As a byproduct of Evan's research he solved other equations useful for encrypting data. This furthered an interest he developed as early as age 2, when he was checking math textbooks out of the library. Second place honors and $75,000 went to Michelle Hackman, 17, of Great Neck, NY, who studied the effect of separating teenagers from their cell phones. In her personal life, Michelle, who is not sighted, launched a rural secondary school in Cambodia that benefits girls confronted with significant gender violence. Third place and $50,000 went to Matthew Miller, 18, of Elon, NC, who studied how the placement of small bumps on the surface of wind turbine blades can dramatically affect their aerodynamics and increase their efficiency at generating electricity. Matthew is also senior class president, president of the National Honor Society and was invited by President Obama to be part of the first White House Science Fair last October.

In total, the Intel Foundation awarded $1.25 million for the Intel Science Talent Search 2011. When the Intel Foundation assumed the title sponsorship 13 years ago, it increased the annual awards by more than $1 million in the belief that fostering a passion for math and science in today's youth is imperative for America's future success. The Intel Science Talent Search encourages America's future leaders to satisfy their endless curiosity by exploring how the world works and developing solutions for global challenges. This year's finalists hail from 15 states and represent 39 schools. Of the 1,744 high school seniors who entered the Intel Science Talent Search 2011, 300 were announced as semifinalists in January. Of those, 40 were chosen as finalists and invited to Washington, DC, to compete for the top 10 awards. Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education, has owned and administered the Science Talent Search since its inception in 1942. Over the past 69 years, Science Talent Search alumni have gone on to win seven Nobel Prizes, two Fields Medals, three National Medals of Science, 11 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships, and even an Academy Award for Best Actress. More details are at www.inspiredbyeducation.com.

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This issue of the TCEB is made possible by a grant from:

3M 

3M is a diversified technology company committed to providing practical and ingenious solutions to help customers succeed.

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To find out how your organization can sponsor the TCEB or support the Triangle Coalition in other ways, visit www.trianglecoalition.org/support.htm

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The TCEB is a newsletter provided to members of the Triangle Coalition. Triangle Coalition members may forward individual articles or the issue in its entirety to internal member lists, providing that credit is given to the Triangle Coalition, and contact information is included in any republication.
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Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education
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