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Two WCSD Educators Receive Outstanding Science Teacher Award
Reno, NV (May 13, 2011) - Two Washoe County School District teachers seeking to make a difference in the lives of future scientists have been recognized for their efforts.
Swope Middle School teacher April Keller and Reed High School teacher Genevieve Morehouse have received the Outstanding Science Teacher award from the Sandra A. Daugherty Foundation for WCSD middle and high schools. The award honors Washoe County science educators who inspire students and increase their understanding about science and health as well as introduce them to possible career paths in professions in these areas.
"It's exciting to see what science teachers do," said Dr. Robert Daugherty, husband of Sandra. "Both of this year's winners are seen as very exciting and dedicated. We at the Foundation receive letters from students at the University of Nevada, Reno who are in science because of a teacher they had in high school or even middle school."
Keller and Morehouse each will receive $1,500 to use at their discretion. Their science department also will receive $1,500, which can be used as the faculty sees fit to improve education for students. At Swope, Keller said her department will consider purchasing equipment to enhance its offerings in physics and chemistry.
"The Swope science department is planning to enhance our science classes to better serve our students' needs in hopes of fostering science as a career," Keller said. "My job as a science teacher is to motivate students to love science and to engage their minds toward science careers with hands-on exploration and problem-solving techniques."
Morehouse, also a co-adviser of Reed's Eco Warriors environmental club, said she would like to use the money dedicated to the department for field trips to help them experience the outdoors. She said she would like to expose her students to water quality studies at Pyramid Lake or Lake Tahoe and to discuss issues impacting lakes and forests.
"I teach science because I think the way the world works is exciting and fascinating and I want to share this
-more-
knowledge with my students," Morehouse said. "I also want to help them gain respect for their environment so that they will be motivated to take care of it. The most rewarding part about teaching science to high school students is when I see a former student a few years later and they tell me that they are majoring in biology or environmental science in college."
The Sandra A. Daugherty Foundation is named for the first female tenured professor in science at the University of Nevada, Reno. To honor her after her death in 2001, the family foundation continued her legacy by supporting the development of clinical research and education in cardiovascular epidemiology and prevention and through the recognition of local science educators.
About Washoe County School District: The Washoe County School District includes the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area, Incline Village, Gerlach, Empire and Wadsworth, Nevada. The District provides each of its 63,000 students with a superior education in a safe and challenging environment and is committed to graduate every child career and college ready.
For more information visit www.washoecountyschools.org. Follow us on Twitter at WCSDTweet.
Washoe County School District
425 East Ninth Street
Reno, NV 89520
