Do you know an elementary schoolteacher in Delaware who goes the extra mile to teach students about the First State’s marine and aquatic resources?
In recognition of the critical importance of educating students about Delaware’s ocean and coastal treasures, the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program, in partnership with the Office of the Governor, established the Governor’s Marine Science Teacher-of-the-Year Award in 2001. The goal of the award program is to recognize, on an annual basis, an outstanding Delaware teacher with a strong commitment to marine and aquatic science education.
Hepsi Zsoldos, an eighth-grade Earth science teacher at Talley Middle School in Wilmington, was honored as the first recipient of the award last year.
This year’s competition is open exclusively to elementary schoolteachers (grades K–6) in Delaware, while next year’s competition will be geared to secondary schoolteachers throughout the state.
The winning teacher will be selected based on creativity, innovation, quality, and impact of activities presented to students. A committee knowledgeable about the state science education standards, teacher performance, and impact in the classroom will review the nomination packages and determine the winner. The committee will include representatives from the Governor’s Office, the University of Delaware, Delaware Department of Education, Delaware Teacher Center, and Delaware Teachers of Science.
The winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) conference, the largest assembly of marine and aquatic science educators in the world. This year’s conference will be held July 20–24 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The winning teacher also will be recognized at Coast Day, the annual open house of the UD College of Marine Studies and Sea Grant College Program, and have the opportunity to share project ideas and teaching techniques through hands-on activities or exhibits. Additionally, a press release will be issued statewide to recognize the honoree, whose name will be recorded on plaques that will reside in the Governor’s Office and at the UD College of Marine Studies.
The official nomination form may be downloaded from the UD Sea Grant College Program’s Web site at www.ocean.udel.edu/seagrant. Completed nomination forms must be postmarked to the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program no later than Monday, April 21, 2003.
For more information, please contact Dr. William Hall, marine education specialist for the UD Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service, at (302) 645-4253 or bhall@udel.edu.