Here at Engineering is Elementary we’re constantly brainstorming: “How ELSE can we support elementary teachers as they teach science and engineering?” Recently we decided to reinvest $200,000 from our project funds for a new round of professional development scholarships . . . and today we’re delighted to announce the names (below) of 100 elementary teachers from 24 states who will receive the first awards under the new program.
Competition Was Keen
“We use a rigorous process for evaluating candidates, and we had a strong response to the scholarship announcement—more than 200 applications—so the competition was keen,” says EiE scholarship coordinator Chantal Balesdent. Applicants were asked to submit examples of STEM lessons they currently teach, share ideas for integrating engineering with other subjects, and reflect on why engineering is important for elementary students. The selection process also screened for teacher leaders who show strong potential to share what they learn through the scholarship with their colleagues.
Each scholarship includes tuition to attend a two-day EiE workshop at the Museum of Science, Boston. “We offer workshops on an ongoing basis all spring, so scholarship recipients can choose the training that best fits their schedule,” Balesdent says. Teachers will also receive a complete set of classroom materials: EiE Teacher Guide, a class set of storybooks, and a Materials Kit.
Generous external support from corporate funders like Raytheon has already established that providing EiE professional development to teachers helps teachers AND their students; with so many schools facing tight budgets and tough decisions, we wanted to build on the momentum already created by the $2 million, five-year Raytheon initiative.
High-Quality PD Helps
Though many states have recently implemented new academic standards that put unprecedented emphasis on the "E" in STEM, engineering is a new subject for most elementary teachers, and most say they don’t feel well prepared to teach it. "We know that when you invest in high-quality STEM professional development for elementary teachers, it has a positive impact on their students,” says EiE director and Museum vice president Christine Cunningham.
Past EiE scholarship programs have primarily supported educators in high-needs urban school districts, so some of the new scholarship were earmarked for teachers in rural districts. "It can be especially challenging for teachers in rural areas to access high-quality professional development," says Cunningham. Another set of scholarships were awarded to teachers whose classes include a high proportion of English Language Learners—a growing population in U.S. schools.
Watch This Space! More Scholarships to Come
If an EiE scholarship could benefit you and your school, watch this space, because we’ll announce a second round of scholarships later this spring!
Congratulations to all our 2016 EiE scholarship winners:
- Akiko Arevalo, Marquez Charter School, Pacific Palisades, CA
- Kimberly Armstrong, Wynne Primary School, Wynne, AR
- Alison Baranowski, Havre de Grace Elementary, Havre de Grace, MD
- Roy Bartnick, Chisholm Elementary School, Enid, OK
- Lori Baryenbruch, River Valley Elementary - Spring Green, Spring Green, WI
- Catherine Beasley, Washington-Rose Elementary School, Roosevelt, NY
- Jake Beers, Perry Professional Development Center, Springdale, AR
- Sheila Borenstein, Solano Elementary School, Phoenix, AZ
- Sara Boudreau, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, Waltham, MA
- Elizabeth Bouwens, Charles Hollinger K-8 School, Tucson, AZ
- Dana Brent, Lincoln Street Independent School, Red Bluff, CA
- Meghan Briceland, Vesey Elementary School, Tucson, AZ
- Adam Brua, Rutland Intermediate School, Rutland, VT
- Kathy Brunetti, Hector Elementary School, Hector, AR
- Roxann Camel, Villas Elementary School, Fort Myers, FL
- Amy Casaldi, Islands Elementary School, Gilbert, AZ
- Kelley Chapman, Williams Avenue Elementary, Fort Payne, AL
- Sue Clark, Frances Owen Holaway Elementary School, Tucson, AZ
- Elizabeth Coltey, Rutland Intermediate School, Rutland, VT
- Julie Crawford, Wilson Elementary School, Costa Mesa, CA
- Jessica Daniel, White Bluff Elementary School, White Bluff, TN
- Deidre Davis, Neinas Elementary School, Detroit, MI
- Roxanne Desmarais, Charlotte M. Murkland Elementary School, Lowell, MA
- Paulette Donald, Crescent Heights Language Arts/Social Justice Magnet School, Los Angeles, CA
- April Eagar, Round Valley Elementary School, Springerville, AZ
- CT Erickson, Harp Elementary, Springdale, AR
- Tammy Evans, Sonora Elementary School, Costa Mesa, CA
- Barbara Ferguson, River Valley Elementary - Spring Green, Spring Green, WI
- Melissa Fischer-Rasmussen, Port Salerno Elementary School, Stuart, FL
- Kate La Riviere Gagner, Monkton Central School, North Ferrisburgh, VT
- Carly Geanolous, Siloam Springs Intermediate School, Siloam Springs, AR
- Elizabeth Getsinger, Westowne Elementary , Baltimore, MD
- Laurie Gibson, McLeansville Elementary School, McLeansville, NC
- Jakeisha Gibson, John W. Mack Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA
- Andrea Gladden, Icard Elementary School, Connelly Springs, NC
- Peter Gottlieb, Tunbridge Public Charter School, Baltimore, MD
- Leslie Graham, Central Elementary School, La Grande, OR
- Jennifer Graham, Bayyari Elementary School, Springdale, AR
- Sara Hamel, Silk Hope School, Siler City, NC
- Grace Han, Lord Baden-Powell Elementary School, Anaheim, CA
- Martha Harney, Northeast Elementary School, Waltham, MA
- Valarie Harp, Hartford Elementary School, Hartford, AR
- Cheryl Heldt, University Place Elementary School, Huntsville, AL
- Kevin Higginbottom, Haverhill Public Schools, Haverhill, MA
- Paula Houde, Lin-Wood Elementary School, Lincoln, NH
- Claudia Huse, Walker Elementary School, Springdale, AR
- Ann Iott, Heritage Elementary School, Madison, AL
- Jennifer Irons, Oaklawn Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School, Hot Springs, AR
- Minna Jang, Westowne Elementary, Catonsville, MD
- Annabelle Jones, McLeansville Elementary School, McLeansville, NC
- Lisa Juarez, Port Salerno Elementary School, Stuart, FL
- Annie Kalashian, Bradford Elementary School, Bradford, MA
- Niki Kelso, White Bluff Elementary School, White Bluff, TN
- Donna Kirby-Blanchette, John Hannigan Elementary School, New Bedford, MA
- Christina Knabe, Park Lakes Elementary School, Lauderdale Lakes, FL
- Adrienne Kohli, Acton Elementary School, Acton, ME
- Erica Krein, El Granada Elementary School, Half Moon Bay, CA
- Mary Legoria, Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School, Baton Rouge, LA
- Kelly Livingston, Socorro Sandoval Elementary School, Chicago, IL
- Andrea Lynch, Churchville Elementary, Churchville, NY
- Michelle Mattson, North Dickinson County School, Felch, MI
- Kathleen McCormick, Henry Ford Elementary School, Dearborn, MI
- Diane McGaffic, Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, Grove City, PA
- Bobbie McLean, Blytheville Primary School, Blytheville, AR
- Juana Medina, Menlo Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA
- Cheryl Miles, Lunenburg Elementary School, Lunenburg, VT
- Jay Mooney, North Brookfield Elementary School, North Brookfield, MA
- Amber Moore, New Market School, New Market, AL
- Virginia Neil, Highland Elementary School, Monterey, VA
- Wai Chin Ng, Josiah Quincy Elementary School, Boston, MA
- Jason Nichols, Wynne Intermediate School, Wynne, AR
- Ellen Overbye-Rabin, PS 19R (The Curtis School), Staten Island, NY
- Katie Palmer, Thomas R. Plympton Elementary, Waltham, MA
- Katie Panock, Mary E. Baker Elementary School, Brockton, MA
- Janet Payne, Sycamore Elementary School, Simi Valley, CA
- Paola Paz Soldan, Las Palmas Elementary School, San Clemente, CA
- Anthony Perez, Sunset Elementary School, Phoenix, AZ
- Michele Pettis, Williams Avenue Elementary School, Fort Payne, AL
- Virginia Ponder, Monarch Elementary School, Union, SC
- Amanda Premont, Bradford Elementary School, Bradford, MA
- Katrina Prince, Oak Grove Middle School, Paragould, AR
- Jeannine Reed-Gommel, Twin Oaks Elementary School, San Marcos, CA
- Kelly Schaffer, Tunbridge Public Charter School, Baltimore, MD
- Tracy Schifferns, McKinley Elementary School, Santa Barbara, CA
- Jennifer Shiver, Scott Elementary School, Thomasville, GA
- Jodi Sikma, Hamilton Elementary School, Hamilton, MI
- Jackie Smith, Mill Creek Elementary School, Madison, AL
- Shanaan Speed, Dr. Charles P. Defuccio School, P.S. #39, Jersey City, NJ
- Holly Steffes, Greenfield Bilingual School, Milwaukee, WI
- Leslie Swain-Store, Network 9, Chicago, IL
- Donna Talley, Long Valley Charter School, Doyle, CA
- Diane Tarbet, Mary E. Baker Elementary School, Brockton, MA
- Treva Tarkington, Oaklawn Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School, Hot Springs, AR
- Christina Taylor, Dr. Charles P. Defuccio School, P.S. #39, Jersey City, NJ
- Nikkol Turley, Bret Harte Math & Science Magnet Cluster School, Chicago, IL
- Deborah Ward, Dale City Elementary School, Dale City, VA
- Karissa Weiler, Helen Keeling Elementary School, Tucson, AZ
- Thelma Whaling, Evergreen Elementary School, Casa Grande, AZ
- Araceli Woodhead, Ninth Street Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA
- Cindy Yuen, Alcott Elementary School, Pomona, CA
Engineering is Elementary is a project of the National Center for Technological Literacy® at the Museum of Science, Boston.
