ING Unsung Heroes Previous Winners

Each year, ING welcomes 100 deserving educators from across the country to the family of Unsung Heroes award winners. To find out more about previous years' winners from each state, click on the map below.

Alabama

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Lorie M. Johnson (2008)

Richard Elementary School
Auburn, AL

To engage students in a variety of activities and experiments to construct their own knowledge of science concepts through questioning, experimenting, observing and journaling, Johnson proposed the creation of a science lab at Richard Elementary. Rather than simply read about butterflies, balls and ramps, magnets and sound waves in a textbook, Johnson's "Science Quest" project will provide an in-school science lab that allows approximately 120 first and second-grade students to become scientists by encouraging them to use their five senses to explore and experience science. This lab will include a sand and water table, a light table, Digital Blue microscopes, computer, Smart Board, Science books and magazines, tables for Science notebooking, magnifying glasses, test tubes and more. The goal of the lab is to provide a place where children can conduct inquiry-based explorations of scientific concepts and construct their knowledge through child-led and teacher-facilitated activities and experiments. Professors from Auburn University and other local science experts will be invited to visit the lab and extend lessons for Richard Elementary students. Johnson lives in Auburn.

Robby D. Saint (2008)

Section High School
Section, AL

"The Xtreme Vehicle Challenge" is a county-wide program developed by Saint to help at-risk high school physics and physical science students rev up their comprehension of the connection between science and everyday life. Scientific principles such as Newton's Laws of Motion: pressure, force, velocity and acceleration are brought to life through the hands-on designing, building and racing of CO2 dragsters, 4-wheel drive monster trucks, solid fuel model rockets and mouse-trap powered cars. Each year, 400 students from eight high schools are taken out of everyday classroom settings and placed in a more creative environment where they are encouraged to apply ingenuity and learn problem-solving skills through this real world, project-based learning program. Saint resides in Section.

Tina Cherry (2007)

Susan Moore Elementary School
Blountsville, AL

"Art Smarts" is an after-school program developed by Cherry to provide lower-income students exposure to the arts. According to Cherry, arts programs are becoming extinct in many schools because of budget cuts. "Art Smarts" provides students at Susan Moore Elementary School exposure to multiple musical genres and the basics of a theatrical production including practice and performance. To provide a well-rounded program, Cherry has asked outside art agencies to contribute their expertise and/or provide lessons. Cherry is a vocal performer, former arts teacher, former band member and is a contributor to the Alabama State Course of Study for the Arts. She is also a current advisor for the Alabama Black Belt Arts Initiative. Cherry resides in Altoona.

Suzanne Booth (2006)

Woodland Forrest Elementary
Tuscaloosa, AL

Booth's program proposal, "Extra, Extra...Write All About It!", is a writing lab designed to help students at Woodland Forrest Elementary School unlock their writing talents through quality instruction. Complete with computers, a listening station, a book publishing center and writing supplies, Booth believes the program can cultivate literate students who are able to meet the challenges of the ever-changing global community. All of Woodland Forrest Elementary's K-5 students will have access to the lab and teachers will work closely with professionals at the University of Alabama for additional training and field services. Teachers will develop lab activities to help students learn to express their ideas clearly through a variety of customized instructional strategies that suit their individual learning styles. According to Booth, the lab would provide a place for teachers and students to focus on quality writing in an enthusiastic, motivating atmosphere. Booth resides in Tuscaloosa.

Susie Criswell (2006)

Wrights Mill Road Elementary
Auburn, AL

Criswell and her colleagues proposed converting an underutilized area of the school and “Creating the Invention Studio”. The space will allow students to work collaboratively or individually on ideas using an assortment of materials such as Styrofoam, modeling clay, balloons, wood blocks and simple machinery to help spark creativity and exploration. Potentially the entire student body (415 students) at Wrights Mill Road Elementary will benefit from the completion of the lab, which will also house a computer station to be used for research and notation of their ideas for inventions. This project will allow the creative spirits of both teachers and students to flourish as they work in tandem to create tangible projects that inspire exploration and encourage problem solving. The space will be supervised by the teacher whose class is utilizing the space at any given time. While using the materials, students will be required to exercise safety precautions. Criswell resides in Auburn.

Linda Godwin (2005)

Flomaton Enrichment School
Flomaton, AL

Godwin’s “Learning Enrichment Arts Program (LEAP) for Lower Alabama ” is designed to help elevate confidence and self-esteem in children in Kindergarten through 8th grade. LEAP for lower Alabama will help students express themselves creatively, incorporating many varied media forms. According to Godwin, the Gifted Education teacher/coordinator for the Escambia County Alabama School System, the children will be able to write creatively, draw, paint, sculpt, perform plays and present musical performances for the community. Godwin will also involve instructors from Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton, Ala. To provide instruction and guidance for children in grades 3-8 in the LEAP Center. Godwin lives in Atmore.

Jennifer Reed-Taunton (2005)

Alabama Avenue Middle School
Albertville, AL

Reed-Taunton’s winning program idea, “Exploring the Technology Universe,” provides an opportunity for students to explore technology by incorporating NASA information into the current curriculum. In a physical science course, students will pretend to be astronauts and go through a year-long “astronaut training ” where they will investigate the principles of science through hands-on activities. Those activities include designing and building a model plane; building and launching hot-air balloons and rockets; researching waves; and studying actual data from NASA. Each student will have a handheld tool they will use for research that will help motivate them to complete their class work and expand their knowledge of how technology is applied. The program will serve as an experimental model for the school to test the effect of technology use on overall student performance. Reed-Taunton lives in Boaz.

Rebecca McKay (2004)

Stemley Road Elementary School
Talladega, AL

McKay’s project, “A Window to the World: Connecting through Technology,” connects two rural communities, Talladega, Ala., and Conway, S.C., in a study of time, continuity and change of human migration. Second grade classes in three schools study human migration through anthropological research and communication via video conference, email and mail. Students use research to investigate their historical roots and family histories, and social skills to interview community members, families and friends. The students express their understanding through music, plays and photography, culminating in a book and video documentary.

Judy Reeves (2004)

Baldwin County High School
Bay Minette, AL

Reeves’ “Environmental Academy” project is an environmental school, located on a wetland that is overrun with invasive species, that focuses on specific career objectives. Students in the academy take five applied science courses, work in the field to develop an 18-acre forest and wetland habitat on campus, maintain an aquaculture facility that serves the community, and participate in a work-based study program with local agency and business partners. The school has the lowest socioeconomic base, the highest dropout rate and the lowest standardized test scores in the county. Because many students have an environmental ethic and care about fishing, hunting, boating and the outdoors, this project engages them in meaningful educational experiences that keep them in school and exposes them to adults who have careers of interest.

Teresa Owens (2003)

Susan Moore Elementary School
Blountsville, AL

Owens' "Foretelling the Future Through Palm Reading" is a language arts program specifically designed to improve the writing and reading skills of fifth graders through the use of PDAs, or (Palm Digital Application) computer devices. These PDAs allow students to create, compose and download assignments to a digital portfolio kept on the classroom computer without waiting for access to the classroom computer or a weekly computer lab. The teacher easily can view students' digital files to offer immediate feedback while also allowing parents access to their children's work via an e-board site. Students benefit from immediate feedback on spelling mistakes caught through the use of spell check along with important teacher-provided feedback on spelling, grammar and style that will improve writing, reading, keyboarding and technical skills in a fun, non-intimidating manner.

Donna Webb (2003)

Gulf Shores Middle School
Gulf Shores, AL

Webb's "Migration Station" project focuses on the mysterious migration of the monarch butterfly and the role the Gulf Coast plays in its life cycle. In this hands-on interactive greenhouse project, students grow milkweed plants that teachers, students and community volunteers plant in selected areas. The monarch's breeding habitat along the Gulf Coast is being destroyed by urban development; by planting milkweed, students and community members replace the only food eaten by the monarch caterpillar - an essential step to ensuring the continuation of the monarch's lifecycle in the region. This project helps students prove that they can make a positive impact on their environment and allows students, teachers and parents to collaborate through an environmental improvement project.

Cathy Ivey (2002)

Mountain Brook High School
Birmingham, AL

Ivey's "Yes! You Can Do Chemistry in Elementary School" brings high school chemistry students to elementary school classes to conduct chemistry experiments with the younger students. The class is broken into groups of three or four with one high school student serving as a lab assistant for each group. Experiments usually demonstrate chemical and physical changes, such as making oxygen gas from hydrogen peroxide and yeast, making hydrogen gas from zinc metal and hydrochloric acid, or making slime. Experiments are adapted to the age and level of the students. The program sparks interest in chemistry among the younger students and lets the high schoolers share what they've learned.

Beverly Kubina (2001)

Lott Middle School
Citronelle, Ala.

Kubina's "Going to Great Measures" project is a math and science lab created to show the relevance of math in students' everyday lives and to improve their overall math performance. Mixing the disciplines of chemistry, physics, anatomy, and physiology, the lab enables students to gain hands-on experience in gathering scientific data with calculator-based laboratory systems, computers, and a variety of probes and monitors. Affecting approximately 150 eighth-grade students of a Title I school, the project renews students' enthusiasm for science and is a source of pride for students, parents, and teachers alike.

Cathy Walker (2001)

Nora Mae Hutchens Elementary School
Mobile, Ala.

Walker's "Leveled Reading: The Ladder to Success" project is a book room with a library of "leveled" books that are labeled according to readability. Teachers guide students through books appropriate for their reading level and show them effective strategies for processing what they read. Open to all students, kindergarten through fifth-grade, the book room reaches a diverse range of reading abilities and allows students to feel successful in their reading rather than becoming frustrated, thus increasing student motivation and achievement.

Angela Beech (2000)

Allentown Elementary School
Semmes, AL

Beech's "Wetland & Nature Trail Environmental Education" project involves restoring a swamp near Allentown Elementary to a constructed wetland with wildlife and environmental study areas and nature trails. Through scientific observation of the constructed wetland, all grade levels learn about the complex workings and interrelationships of plants, animals, and humans. By examining water quality, variety of wildlife, pollution factors, and other data, participants gain knowledge of their environment and increase information-gathering skills.

Margaret Sullivan (2000)

Jefferson Davis High School
Montgomery, AL

Sullivan's "Each One Teach One" is a cooperative learning project in which high school students teach elementary students. The focus is on scientific investigation of environmental and biological topics. Knowledge is gained through texts, videos, and games and put to use in the laboratory. Knowledge of science is increased on the part of all students, with enthusiasm and participation encouraged through student teaching.

Elaine Rice (1999)

Rolling Hills Elementary
Huntsville, AL

Rice's "Esteemers at Risk" project helps at-risk third, fourth and fifth grade male students develop and improve skills at a critical stage in their development. Students learn how to be leaders and how to improve their academic work. Students also participate in field trips and other activities.

Ollye Conley (1998)

The Academy for Science and Language
Huntsville, AL

Conley's Alabama African American Historic Project taught students about the early contributors to the development of Huntsville. Using newspapers, journals, city council minutes, census records, local historical data, and personal interviews, students developed research skills which helped them incorporate their research into an exhibit shared by the entire community.

Ellisa Hodnett (1998)

Dixie Elementary School
Opelika, AL

Hodnett's Bytes and Pieces project took students beyond normal computer education and showed them the inner-workings of the computer. Through cooperative research, students learned the history, development, and function of the computer. The program culminated with the students building their own computer which they used to write a detailed report of their project.

Cindy Wise (1998)

Woodville School
Woodville, AL

Wise's program, Sold on Social Studies, was designed to stimulate an interest in social studies and nonfictional reading. The program broadened the students' horizons by introducing them to literature beyond the fictional world. Through a hands-on approach to learning, students created projects which they displayed at a social studies fair.

Shirley Garrett (1997)

Phenix City Middle School
Phenix City, AL

Garrett's project, Channel Earth, is a videotaped, simulated news television program created by the students. As part of their language arts program, the students gathered information on environmental issues (rain forest destruction, recycling, conservation, etc.) and possible solutions. Then the students organized the information into different forms (such as essays, books, skits, and poems) and produced, edited and presented a finished video on the school's closed circuit television every nine weeks.

Ann Lawrence and Karen Wyatt (1996)

Mountain Brook Elementary School
Birmingham, AL

Lawrence and Wyatt developed a unique program that emphasized collaboration of the teachers and resources in different school districts to integrate technology and math skills in the classroom. Through relevant activities using technology, the program helped develop an increased understanding of mathematical concepts. Students who completed the program scored significantly higher on standardized tests than in prior years.

Melinda Storey (1996)

Mountain Brook Elementary School
Birmingham, AL

Storey's project, "Gardening Galore," comprised a nature trail in a nearby woods, a hummingbird garden, a butterfly garden, and an outdoor classroom. Storey's project also allowed students to create a guide book for visitors on the trail, two original, interactive multi-media CD's, and a curriculum complete with materials for activities on the trail.

Alaska

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Stephanie M. Cornwell-George (2008)

Mt. Iliamna Elementary School
Eagle River, AK

Because salmon plays a vital role in the Alaskan economy and lifestyle, Cornwell-George has partnered with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to launch a "Salmon Incubation Project" to provide 20 students with a hands-on education of the life cycle of these fish. Students will research the Alaskan salmon, prepare the appropriate tank environment for salmon eggs, and take a trip to Campbell Creek to catch a spawning pair of salmon, collect 500 eggs and fertilize them. They will be expected to care for the tank, take/record temperature, learn about water quality, and nurture the salmon once they hatch. The project includes a trip to the creek in the fall to collect bugs and plants. Students will determine the health of a river by the type of bugs and plants living there. The project culminates with a trip back to Campbell Creek to release the salmon where they'll someday return to spawn and complete the cycle once again. The students will ultimately be able to explain the life cycle of the Alaskan salmon and how it affects Alaska and their community. Cornwell-George lives in Eagle River.

Maureen McCombs (2007)

Tanaina Elementary School
Wasilla, AK

McCombs developed the "Kids Fitness" program to provide students with options of various activities during their open activity/play time. Four hundred and thirty two children from preschool through fifth grade enjoy physical activities in the school's gym. According to McCombs, physical fitness is important, especially in light of the issues around childhood obesity. Tanaina Elementary School does physical fitness testing twice a year to review the health of its students. McCombs' project has helped kids learn about keeping their bodies healthy, the importance of staying active, and that with a healthy body comes healthy living. McCombs lives in Wasilla.

Mike Shea (2007)

Teeland Middle School
Wasilla, AK

Preservation of the Little Susitna River is the main focus of Shea's seventh-grade students at Teeland Middle School for his winning program idea, "Little Susitna River Rangers". The goal of the program is for the students, known as "river rangers", to learn about watershed ecology and water preservation. Participants will analyze their data and identify one negatively impacted site that human development has caused. The students are then required to develop a re-vegetation plan with the Wasilla Soil and Water Conservation District. The seventh graders will carry their project on in to the eighth grade and then train the new seventh graders on their findings. Shea resides in Wasilla.

Mark "Hans" Chester (2006)

Glacier Valley Elementary
Juneau, AK

Chester's winning "Tlingit Language Project" provides students at Glacier Valley Elementary with an opportunity to become fluent in conversational Tlingit, a language that nearly became extinct, but is now being revitalized in the Juneau School District and other Southeast Alaska communities. This unique program pairs fluent Tlingit speakers, most of whom are over the age of 60, with elementary students in an effort to develop activities in the classroom and home environment that encourage the youngsters to learn about Tlingit history and customs. While studying storytelling, science, language arts, song, dance and art within the Tlingit culture, students will use audio, visual, kinesthetic and interpersonal communication with each other, teachers and family members as further reinforcement. Approximately 50 students will be assessed biweekly in order to monitor their fluency. They will also meet twice a week with their peers from other classrooms to learn and share their experiences. At the end of the year, students will showcase their knowledge by hosting a Tlingit ceremony for their families and members of the community. Chester resides in Juneau.

Dona Helmer (2006)

College Gate Elementary
Anchorage, AK

Helmer's "Reading, Writing & Thinking Like Scientists" program will afford students the opportunity to learn about science through ongoing, direct observation. With few chances to explore and read about science on an ongoing basis, Helmer saw an opportunity for a dedicated library unit to offer students at College Gate Elementary a scientific topic. With the help of science experts, they will create a special unit about owls. The materials will be used to support student research and observation of owls for final presentations. The program objective will be to help the 30 participating students enhance their scientific vocabulary and improve writing skills while building a new appreciation for science. The library expansion will completely immerse students in science. Helmer resides in Anchorage.

Dave Schmitz (2005)

North Pole, AK

Schmitz developed the “Alaskan Community Supported Agriscience Project” where the students choose a list of value-added animal and plant products that they will grow or make and market to a group of shareholders. The project provides development opportunities for leadership, personal growth and career success. The students will gain an understanding when they are engaged in the everyday workings of the project. They will learn teamwork and how to rethink and modify a business idea. Schmitz lives in North Pole.

AnnMarie Rudstrom (2004)

Brevig Mission School
Brevig Mission, AK

Rudstrom, teaming up with teachers Ginger Crockett, William Bryson III, and Paul Hamilton, coordinates “The Voice of the Huskies News Show” project. A schoolwide effort, students produce a 30-minute news show consisting of segments created by individual classrooms covering events happening within the school and local community. Students volunteer to act as anchors and introduce the news segments, which are seen live via video-conference broadcast to schools throughout the district. Designed to improve language skills, this fun project helps students gain fluency, vocabulary and clarity in communication, while challenging them to become critical thinkers. Building student self-esteem and school and community pride, the “Voice of the Huskies” project has generated excitement in academic projects and helped involve parents and community members in school events.

Jetta Budd (2003)

Pacific and Sitka High Schools
Sitka, AK

Budd's project, "Eyes on the Wall: Sitka Youth Photograph Native Artists," strengthens intergenerational dialogue and promotes intercultural knowledge and respect for Native artistic traditions. The program teaches students to use their photography skills to capture black and white images of Native elders in Sitka and gives them an outlet to display these portraits on the walls of their school. Both the students and the elders write reflections about their interactions together, which are incorporated into the wall displays. The project teaches artistic composition and allows students to take risks by displaying their self-confidence, social skills and artistic work.

Teri Haddeland (2002)

William H. Seward Elementary
Seward, AK

Haddeland's "Alaska Studies" project is built around a yearlong series of field trips that includes: the Alaska Native Heritage Center. the Native Youth Olympics in Anchorage, a ferry trip to one of Alaska's island communities; a plane ride to Barrow, and a trip to Kenai Fjords in Resurrection Bay with the Alaska Explorers, among others. The trips serve as the basis for extensive reports, and arts projects, let the students get to know Alaska's diverse geography and cultures first-hand, and teach them confidence-building wilderness survival skills. In addition, students gain valuable research, writing, and presentation practice.

Martin Lang (2001)

Chugiak High School
Eagle River, Alaska

Lang's "Video Production: Capturing Us at Our Best" project introduces students to the world of storytelling and film-making. Through the program, students view classic films and work in groups to write an original screenplay. Incorporating technology to promote creative thinking and cooperative learning, students create storyboards, select camera angles, and film and edit their screenplay to effectively tell their story. The program also gives students the opportunity to help others learn, as they film teachers delivering lessons and transfer that film to CDs for use with at-risk students during after-school programs. This project benefits both students and the community in that it provides local businesses the opportunity to later hire local students for technology positions, rather than out-of-state residents.

Barbara Angaiak (1999)

Kilbuck Elementary School
Bethel, AK

Angaiak's "Outdoor School" program takes students to a remote camp setting for a week. Students receive firsthand experience learning survival skills, first aid, water study, animal and insect identification, and team cooperation skills. The unique opportunity is built upon during the school year as teachers put this common experience to use as a tool to draw the group together as a learning community, where everyone has value and helps each other.

Lisa LoPresti-Hupp (1999)

Shungnak School
Shungnak, AK

LoPresti-Hupp's "Plan-a-Dream" project gives students living in remote Alaska the chance to plan a trip to Anchorage. Through the planning of the trip, students learn to keep financial records of their fund-raising, request travel information, and read maps. The students also organize community fundraisers, which includes raffling a dog sled built by the high school students.

Steven Lee (1998)

Pilot Stations School
Pilot Station, AK

Lee's Alaskan Native carving program was designed to teach students native Eskimo skills and to increase the self esteem of the students involved. With the assistance of the village elders, students were shown how to design and make their own carvings. In addition, students were taught how to market their works and learned the concept of profit and reinvestment.

Amy Viltrakis (1997)

Salcha Elementary School
Fairbanks, AK

Viltrakis' Salcha Historical School-Community Museum project involved an expansion of the original museum, the study of museum techniques, a compilation of local history, an archeological dig, and the production of a traveling multi-media presentation. The entire project was researched, produced and presented by students in grades 3-6, acting as "experts" in the history of the school and surrounding community.

Kathie Cook (1996)

Ladd Elementary School
Fairbanks, AK

Cook created a program based on scientific curriculum using technology as a research tool. In partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, students selected their own topic to research and worked in teams using technology such as the Internet to investigate their scientific question. Cook's project incorporated math, language, history, and technology skills to help students become comfortable and enjoy the field of science.

Arizona

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Susie K. Pederson (2008)

Copper Trails Elementary School
Goodyear, AZ

The goal of "A World of Difference" is to give first-grade students at Copper Trails Elementary School a historical look at how heritage and ethnicity has helped shape society and the world around us. Through a study of nationalities, Pederson will teach students to recognize and celebrate the different languages, art, dress, food, music, events and literature that gives each of us pride and cause for celebration. Students will be immersed in project-based learning activities integrating subjects across the curriculum, including social studies, reading and writing. Hands-on explorations, presentations from guest speakers, performances by dance groups, works of artists, and research will help them gain an understanding of diversity. Using the Internet, students will also build relationships with other first-grade students in the countries being studied. Through this year-long study, students will learn to understand the world around them by creating maps and learning economic principles such as money, commerce and trade. Pederson lives in Goodyear.

Reed E. Brotherton (2008)

Western Valley Elementary School
Phoenix, AZ

"So You Want to be an Urban Ecologist?" was created by Brotherton for the more than 120 fourth-grade students at Western Valley Elementary School to incorporate technology into the areas of science, social studies and mathematics. Over the years, students have conducted bird protocols on the school's campus and traveled to five different locations in the Phoenix metropolitan area to observe birds that have adapted to living in the Sonoran Desert. Throughout the project, students update their class Web page with observations, anecdotal records, graphic representations and photos from their bird expeditions. With assistance from the ING Unsung Heroes Award, Brotherton plans on empowering students to use the latest in digital technology to create multimedia presentations. By utilizing technology, "So You Want to be an Urban Ecologist?" will provide students with an opportunity to improve their fine motor skills, enhance mathematical thinking, increase creativity and score higher on critical thinking and problem-solving tests. Brotherton lives in Laveen.

Cindy Hodgeson (2007)

Agua Caliente Elementary School
Tucson, AZ

Hodgeson has developed a program that provides students with neurological deficiencies the opportunity to enhance their learning by focusing on reflex integration, sensory needs and motor development. The "Motor Lab" program is different from typical physical education classes because it provides more structured individual and partner-type activities. Currently there are over 300 students benefiting from the program each week, and according to Hodgeson, the community involvement has garnered quite a bit of attention from the school's surrounding neighborhoods. Communication is provided to all parents on the benefits of the lab and parent volunteers receive training and help in the "Motor Lab". Hodgeson says that students have already shown tremendous growth in their motor development, learning readiness and academic achievement from weekly participation in the lab. Hodgeson resides in Tucson.

Jack Kahn (2007)

McClintock High School
Tempe, AZ

"The Amazing Race: Ancient Cultures" was designed by Kahn to have students develop and participate in a humanities version of "The Amazing Race", a popular reality television show. The project allows the students to gather information from around the globe for an appealing and energetic educational experience. In developing their "stories", the 90 12th-grade students at McClintock High School will utilize cutting-edge video technology, software, and other resources. During the game, students will represent other cultures that they will be studying. Creativity will play a big part in the game and the students will have to utilize their creative minds to keep the game moving. The final product will be evaluated on the culture or time period on which it is focused. Kahn lives in Gilbert.

Christine Allred (2006)

Boulder Creek High School
Anthem, AZ

Allred's award-winning program idea, "Journey to the Center of the Earth", is a unique way of merging two disciplines - literature and science. Incorporating both disciplines, students will learn about and study fossils, the geological time scale, the structure of the Earth and volcanoes and earthquakes while reading the novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. The concept is for students to compare the scientific ideas during the time of the book (the late 1800's) to current scientific thinking. They will look at the overall views of the Earth's structure during the 19th century and how they relate to and/or differ from the thoughts of today's society. Using a scale model of the Earth, students will simulate the journey of the main character in the book and take a tour of the planet. They will track their experience using journal entries. The goal is to promote analytical thinking in students and encourage them to want to learn. Allred resides in Phoenix.

Melinda Petersen (2006)

Western Sky Middle School
Goodyear, AZ

Petersen's lesson idea, "Weather Station-An Interdisciplinary Approach", will marry a variety of subjects to help students analyze our planet's hydrosphere and atmosphere. Through a series of inquiry-based investigations, her students at Western Sky Middle School will study the water cycle and eventually make educated predictions about the weather in their area. They will also fulfill all of the Arizona Earth Science Standard objectives while learning about the historical, mathematical, linguistic and scientific impacts of weather-related topics. Students will learn everything from how ancient cultures predicted the weather to how to integrate mathematic principles in analyzing weather-related data. Not only will the more than 300 students in her sixth-grade class be directly impacted, but more than 900 students in the school will benefit from the information generated from this cutting-edge module. Petersen resides in El Mirage.

Cassi Mackey-Chenen (2005)

Montessori Education Centre
Mesa, AZ

Mackey-Chenen’s winning program idea, “Mercado” (Spanish for “open market”), introduces basic economic principles to elementary school children in an exciting and challenging way. After completing a general economic curriculum, the school puts on four Mercado programs in a year. Students form stores after selecting products or services, create a business plan and learn skills related to their stores (production and/or practicing services). They develop a budget and marketing strategies, advertise and track inventory. Each elementary classroom creates businesses. They also shop at their schoolmates’ stores, so primary classes have the opportunity to shop and interact with older students. Mercado money is earned throughout the year and teachers are asked to decide how children merit the amount. The program also invites students from the thomas J. Pappas School for the Homeless to participate. together the students create a community where they support each other, respect diversity and work in cooperation to achieve a shared vision and goal. Mackey-Chenen is a resident of Phoenix.

Jennifer Wahlstrand (2004)

Peralta Elementary School
Phoenix, AZ

Wahlstrand’s “Read and Write to Achieve: Improving First Grade Literacy and Language Development” program is designed to help students learn to read by bridging the literacy gap that often occurs between school and home. Students take home literacy tote bags each night to practice reading outside of class. Each tote bag contains books that range in difficulty for beginning to advanced readers, in addition to language development activities that can be checked out on a weekly basis. The contents of the tote bag also come with instructions in both English and the student’s native language, making it possible for parents to get involved in the process. The students are assessed on their reading skills with the teacher biweekly. As each student progresses in his or her reading skills, the child earns recognition for his or her achievement.

Terri Fields (2003)

Sunnyslope High School
Phoenix, AZ

Field's "Reading is Sweet" project enhances reading skills and increases interest in free-reading among high school students. Students are motivated to read through spirited encouragement from teachers including one-on-one discussions of various reading strategies, classroom visits featuring dramatic readings from novels, and rewards of prizes and free books for students who demonstrate substantial interest in reading. The program also incorporates a "publishing center" staffed by the high school students that turns elementary students' work into hard cover library books. Most important, this program teaches that reading skills can provide lifelong enjoyment.

Mary Hinson (2002)

Catalina High Magnet School
Tucson, AZ

Hinson's "Project Empowerment/ Learning Strategies Plus Speech Recognition Software" combines the innovative use of speech recognition software with the teaching of specific learning strategies targeting prewriting, writing, and the use of the software for students with learning disabilities, orthopedic impairments, and multiple disabilities. The project aims to increase the students' written fluency, reading levels, and academic achievement, gives mainstreamed disabled students extended time to complete their work, and facilitates their successful transition from high school to college. Through Project Empowerment, the voices of these students are finally heard.

Vivian Hunt (2002)

Apache Elementary
Peoria, AZ

Hunt's "THRILL Seekers - To Help Readers Is to Love Life" links students who struggle with reading with tutors recruited from a retirement community, the Peoria Fire Department, upper-grade students, and parents. Students receive at least two 30-minute tutoring sessions per week consisting of word study, guided writing, and reading selections matched to instructional levels and classroom curriculum. Tutors document progress with lesson plans recorded in a notebook and implement skill drills or supplemental classroom reading selections requested by teachers. Tests show that the average THRILL student gains one year's progress in one semester.

Rhea Steyer (2002)

McKemy Middle School
Tempe, AZ

Steyer's "My, How Things Change!" program introduces students to world changes and helps them understand the effects such changes have on the world in which they live. Studying, discussing, and debating events such as the Industrial Revolution, wars, inventions and discoveries, and social conditions around the world, students compare and contrast those events with events happening in their own communities. Through the program, students recognize positive contributions throughout history, better understand the importance of human rights and economics in a free society, and discover the relationship between scientific advancement and an improved society.

Elizabeth Bradshaw (2001)

Mesquite Elementary School
Tucson, Ariz.

Bradshaw's "Hands across the Border" project is a cultural exchange between Vail, Arizona, and Carbó, Mexico, roughly 200 miles apart on opposite sides of the border. Fifth and sixth graders from Vail travel to Carbó, where they visit classrooms devoid of technology and basic supplies and experience home life in the adobe village. In return, the Vail students host Carbó students at their homes and at school, where Mexican folk music and dances are shared at a school-wide assembly. Through the project, students, educators, parents, and community members work together toward a common goal of learning, mutual respect, and friendship between two diverse cultures.

Kevin Kehl (2001)

Palo Verde High School
Tucson, Ariz.

Kehl's "Tierra Mojada Environmental Research Center" project is a living lab that replicates the habitat of Arizona's Sonoran Desert. Complete with towering saguaro cacti and fragrant creosote bushes, this habitat illustrates the importance of this fragile land and gives students the opportunity to conduct water testing and study plants and animals. Through this, students not only gain valuable hands-on science experience, but also a better appreciation for endangered and threatened wildlife and what steps are needed to save them for future generations.

Patricia Kupferer (2000)

Taylor Junior High School
Mesa, AZ

Kupferer's "Computers in Biology" project helps ninth-grade students become aware of the diversity and uniqueness of organisms in Arizona and increases their computer literacy. Students research different organisms and use the information via computers to create a slide show presentation and Web pages for the school site. They also publish the information in newsletters and field guides to share with other students and teachers. Along with gaining valuable computer skills, students also enhance concepts taught in their taxonomy and ecology units.

Mary Lara (2000)

DeMiguel Elementary School
Flagstaff, AZ

Lara's "Reach for the Stars" project teaches space science effectively to K-6 students and extends enthusiasm for the subject to other students, staff, parents, and community members. Students observe outer space with a 16-foot reflecting telescope, research space science topics on the Internet, and view lunar samples. The project expands science knowledge, promotes teamwork and problem solving, and motivates students to employ math, reading, and writing skills as they conduct research.

Dave Carpenter (1999)

Meyer Elementary
Higley, AZ

Carpenter's "Meyer Reading Rainbow" promotes reading in an entertaining way throughout the school. The student-produced weekly video program focuses on students and their books, student council news, and classroom visits. Students develop both technology-related skills and academic skills.

Julie Larson (1999)

Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary
Cottonwood, AZ

Larson's "Environmental Gardens" project provides hands-on learning conducive to teamwork. The program involves students, their families, educators, and the local community. The gardens include habitats for iguanas, rabbits, desert tortoises, birds, and a fish pond. Additionally, students and community volunteers maintain butterfly and hummingbird gardens. Aspects of science are incorporated through research, soil and water analysis, evaluation of bird and fish adaptations, and the study of weather and growing zones.

Renee Ciezki (1998)

Ironwood High School
Glendale, AZ

Ciezki's project taught students the skills they need to run their own business. Students learned desktop publishing skills, which they used to create products for businesses, community groups, and non-profit organizations.

Terry Haggerty (1998)

Central High School
Phoenix, AZ

Haggerty's Brown Bag Lunch Series was designed to give at-risk students skills and guidance not received during their normal classes. Through intramural athletics, guest speakers, and other presentations, students were taught skills which help them make good decisions about school and their future.

Carolyn Maxey (1998)

Calabasas Middle School / Rio Rico High School Library
Tubac, AZ

Maxey's project, Community of Learners Technology Initiative, benefited both the students and the community. The first part of the project required students to teach computer classes to the community, which has the second highest unemployment rate in Arizona. The second part of the project brought business members of the community to teach the students job skills, which helped them think more about careers and their future.

Sandra Whipple (1997)

Littleton Elementary School
Cashion, AZ

Whipple's project, called PARE (Parents as Reading Educators), is designed to increase students' reading skills while at the same time increasing the level of classroom involvement by parents. Parents receive training on working with their children to complete literary assignments and activities. Student progress is tracked by meeting monthly reading goals, as well as state-mandated reading tests.

Kristen Ellis and Sarah Roberts (1996)

V.H. Larson
Phoenix, AZ

Ellis and Roberts created the Positive Reflections Club Entrepreneurial Program for junior high students to prepare them for the workplace. Through seven programs ranging from a banking system to a restaurant, students were exposed to marketing, advertising, and finance. Students experienced the challenges of business management decisions and analyzed the success of their programs. Created eight years ago, approximately 100 students participate in the program annually.

Arkansas

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Charre L. Todd (2008)

Norman Junior High School
Crossett, AR

As a way to emphasize the interconnectedness of math and science concepts in real-world situations, Todd has proposed the development of the "Science and Math: GO Figure!" program. Math and science teachers will plan projects integrating math, science and data collection technology. Students will use data gathered from temperature, motion and light probes to analyze in both math and science classes. Math students will use the data to construct meaning for math concepts and science students will use the same data to form scientific conclusions. The Science and Math: GO Figure!" program will use real-world examples to provide students an opportunity to practice the math and science knowledge they've acquired in class. The program will also foster greater collaboration between math and science teachers at Norman Junior High School. Todd lives in Crossett.

Deborah M. Walter (2008)

Crossroads Alternative School
Rogers, AR

"Pack It & Cache It 4 Life" is an innovative high school outdoor adventure fitness youth mentoring program for at-risk teens. Walter provides students with positive opportunities to work through barriers in supportive environments; she hopes they can then transfer those acquired skills to challenging situations in their lives. These adventure activities build confidence in at-risk students who have low self-esteem, motivation issues and false perceptions that "failure is their only option." The program improves student learning by providing immediate and concrete consequences through personal outdoor challenges that are experimental and exciting. Students develop a basic level of competency utilizing outdoor recreational equipment such as setting up tents, searching for hidden items using a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) handheld unit and abiding by the cooking "leave no trace" camping principles. Additional objectives for this project will be to establish social, emotional and physical competencies included in the National Association of Sport and Physical Education standards for high school physical education. The skills learned by students during this project will promote and enhance responsible personal behavior and stimulate options for recreational engagement out of school. Walter is a resident of Bella Vista.

Diane Montgomery and Cindy Withaker (2007)

Brookland Middle/High School
Brookland, AR

Montgomery and Withaker's program, "International Expo", will expand the knowledge of rural students into global ambassadors. Students will be encouraged to select underdeveloped countries and to search their communities for representatives of these countries. Displays will be built depicting life in these countries and all students' parents and community members will be invited to experience the "International Expo". There will also be an International Bazaar where the proceeds from sales will be donated to a specified non-profit organization. The students will not only learn about life in other countries, but also that students in Arkansas can make a difference in other students' lives.

Amy Smallwood (2007)

Grace Hill Elementary School
Rogers, AR

"Emerald City Garden & Market - Growing Success" is a project developed by Smallwood to provide many opportunities to integrate reading, writing, and the arts for students at Grace Hill Elementary School. With community involvement, the project will look at the business side of agriculture. The "Garden" will also provide a great opportunity for more parental and volunteer involvement. Students will learn through a variety of hands-on activities. They will plant and care for the garden, read books about gardening, keep a journal, and create works of art based on the garden. The students will also measure, graph and look at the garden under microscopes, start a business, produce products from garden items, save and reinvest money, and make a donation to charity. Smallwood hopes that the students will learn many valuable character-building traits in the process. She lives in Rogers.

Charlotte Douglas (2006)

Van Buren High School
Van Buren, AR

Douglas' "Operation MEDS" program is a mini-medical camp that gives students at Van Buren High School their first introduction to careers in the medical field. In partnership with professionals from Summit Medical Center, Angelcare Paramedics, the Department of Emergency Management, and the Physicians Council, participants will explore topics from human anatomy to disaster readiness in professional environments. Other program activities will be brought to life through lecture opportunities, hands-on lab experiments and on-site visits to clinics, hospitals and nature trails. In addition to learning the importance of physical health, students will develop valuable relationships in the medical and academic community, and lay the foundation for cooperative learning skills to be used in the future. The 100 participating students at Van Buren Junior High and Alternative School will have the chance to prepare for high school-level science classes early through this one-of-a-kind learning opportunity. Douglas resides in Alma.

Terri Connard (2005)

Conner Jr. High School
McGehee, AR

Located in rural Arkansas, McGehee is a small community without any recreational parks due to a lack of public funding. Connard recognized an opportunity for her students to use lessons from their geography class to make it happen. Through the “Snappy Parks: Plotting and Preserving Our Parks” project, students will select a state or national park to research and work with a park ranger to gather pictures and additional materials. Then, they will analyze and plot the park on a global positioning system (GPS) unit and create a presentation on why it is a good park. Finally, students will collaborate and plot a park for the city of McGehee using a GPS unit and present their ideas to the school administration and City Council to propose the creation of a city park. The project will initially begin with 25 students, but will impact over 200 7th and 8th grade students over time. Using writing, math, presentation and critical thinking skills, the project will help students use the gift of learning to give a gift back to their own community. Connard lives in Monticello.

Margaret Cupp (2005)

El Dorado, AR

Cupp’s winning program idea, “The KHGA Project,” integrates academics, arts and technology for third and fourth grade students. The program is targeted to students with low literacy test scores in order to improve their reading and writing skills. Additional spots will go to students with an interest in broadcast journalism. Students in the program will research and report on school news and community events for a weekly in-house television news show. They will learn how to use video and audio equipment and what it takes to produce a television show including the format, content and name. Although teachers will help the students initially, the goal is for the students to run the production on their own. Cupp, a resident of El Dorado, hopes the program will equip students with skills they need to be lifelong learners and productive citizens.

Stacey Tatera (2004)

Arkansas School for the Deaf
Little Rock, AR

Tatera’s “Flex-Abilities: A New Twist on Reading Instruction” program is designed to help progress the reading and language development skills of students who are deaf or have severe hearing problems. Using Digital FlexCams, books are brought to life by projecting larger than life images of the book to the entire class. Together, students work with their teacher on reading, vocabulary and comprehension through a visual, exciting approach. Additionally, students benefit because teachers, who would normally have to hold the books, can communicate in American Sign Language with both hands throughout the entirety of the class. Student learning also becomes more hands-on, as they interact with each other to become more capable, confident readers.

Mary Meacham (2002)

Brinkley High School
Brinkley, AR

Meacham's "Green Thumbs and the Sprouts" is a collaborative project between a high school environmental/gardening club (the Green Thumbs) and elementary students (the Sprouts) that turns an unused playground into a garden area. Students design, plant, and maintain raised plant beds that follow a theme in reading, math, science, or history, such as a salad garden to harvest and eat, or a bed focusing on Arkansas farm crops with soybeans and cotton. High school club members, parents, and community members provide heavy initial work. The project provides a valuable hands-on learning experience for students and a way for community volunteers to become involved with the school.

Melanie Crider (2001)

Black Rock Schools
Black Rock, Ark.

Crider's "LIT²" (Learning and Inquiry through Technology) project changes the way students receive instruction by emphasizing the use of technology in the classroom. The goal is to increase exposure to technology so that each student can benefit from the tools throughout the day. Students can access the Internet for inquiry-based learning and use software to improve writing and computation skills. As the teacher develops projects to guide the process, students become more independently motivated learners. By integrating technology into the learning environment, the project helps students stay interested in the curriculum and master basic skills in active ways.

Norma Williams (2000)

Marmaduke School
Marmaduke, AR

Williams' "Right Reading/Great Writing" project brings junior high students together with elementary students and senior citizens in the community. The junior high students read and analyze published short stories for understanding of writing techniques and application of individual voice and style. They then interview the younger students and the seniors, write their own stories using the biographical information, and share their finished work. Through the project, writing skills are developed, and understanding is fostered among diverse groups.

Curtis Varnell (1999)

Paris High School
Paris, AR

Varnell's "Study of Arkansas Coal Mines" involves the school and community through the study of the environmental, economical, and geological impact of local mining. The program produces an interest in local history, not just with students but with the community, creating an awareness in local ecology and environment.

Irina Lyublinskaya (1998)

Arkansas School for Math and Sciences
Hot Springs, AR

Lyublinskaya's project brought elementary and middle school students to the Arkansas School for Math and Sciences where they conducted hands-on physics experiments with high school students. A cooperative project, it increased younger students' interest in science, while at the same time helping high school students develop critical thinking skills by designing experiments for children.

Roxie McCain (1997)

Greene County Tech Intermediate
Paragould, AR

McCain's project involves the creation of a two-acre environmental classroom from an abandoned school landfill, which included a one-acre wooded area. Designed for sixth grade students, the project provides a coherent program of math and science. The program helps students develop an understanding of the natural world, allows them to solve "real life" problems, and challenges students to work cooperatively by setting goals, stating objectives, determining priorities, and seeking problem-solving strategies.

James Swim (1997)

Bentonville High School
Bentonville, AR

Swim's project introduces high school students as positive academic role models for elementary school students. The high school students provide hands-on science demonstrations to third, fourth and fifth grade students in the school district. The elementary school students are then given the e-mail address of the high school students so they can continue to ask questions and reinforce their learning. Younger students have a person they have met, worked with, and can ask science related questions

Linda Daves (1996)

Springdale High School
Springdale, AR

Daves created a program for special education students with mental, physical, and emotional handicaps. Her goal was to prepare students to be knowledgeable, productive consumers, producers, and citizens by teaching concepts in economics and business. Through classroom instruction and actual work experience in classroom businesses, the project involved using skills such as math, science, and English as students managed their business.

California

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Marie C. Chin (2008)

San Marcos High School
Santa Barbara, CA

"Preparation for Globalization" will launch the first high school level Mandarin Chinese class offered among the three high schools in Santa Barbara. Chin's program will provide San Marcos High School students with an opportunity to learn a language globally spoken by a billion people, and nationally growing in popularity as one of the core languages in K-12 education. As part of the curriculum, students will also study Chinese culture, participate in cultural activities and satisfy the 5 C's of the Foreign Language Learning Standards: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons and Communities. With the rising importance of China on the world stage, "Preparation for Globalization" will help to prepare students for a place much bigger than California. Chin lives in Goleta.

Robert Ostmann (2008)

Laurel High School
Los Alamitos, CA

Over the years, Robert Ostmann has worked relentlessly to keep Laurel High School students in school. His latest creative business ideas just might have what it takes to keep at-risk students in class, as well as preparing them for productive adult lives. His "LifeWorks Studio" program consists of two components: 1) a student-operated small business that contracts with parent groups at other district schools to videotape plays, concerts and other events to produce professional-quality DVDs for the schools to sell as fundraisers and 2) a public-service partnership between students and a regional hospice organization to film and produce "LifeStory" video memoirs of men and women nearing the end of their lives. LifeWorks Studios moves learning outside the conventional classroom model. Running a community-based business gives students a chance to move beyond their limited world of school and friends to connect with the larger community. Interacting across generations and immersing themselves in the life stories of others will give students a unique perspective on the possibilities and challenges that life can throw their way. Over the school year, about 40 students will directly benefit by working in both the small business and the public service components of LifeWorks Studio. The project reinforces the Laurel High staff's commitment to keep their students in school and equip them to become productive citizens and lifelong learners in a technology-driven world. Ostmann resides in Los Alamitos.

Brad J. Nelson, Linda S. D'Alessandro, Brenda L. Phan, Derek G. Rushing, Kathy V. Billet and Latishie L. Wodetzki (2008)

Almondale Middle School
Littlerock, CA

Nelson and his five colleagues at Almondale Middle School are looking to foster college-going interest in students who are members of underrepresented populations at institutions of higher learning. Heightened exposure to career choices and universities, especially those that focus on the sciences, technological, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, will be the focus of their 'AVID UnSung Heroes: "The Future is Yours"' program. Students will take a scientifically validated career/personality survey, research careers that match and interest them and be mentored in reaching those educational and professional preferences. Throughout the process, seventh and eight grade students will be exposed to speakers from various local and regional businesses and universities whose career and educational choices match theirs. This real-world exposure will culminate with an eighth-grade research project that focuses primarily on college selection.

Jonathan Felix (2007)

68th Street Elementary School
Los Angeles, CA

"Write On!" is a project-based program developed by Felix that integrates writing, English, photography, technology and web design into the teaching curriculum for his third-grade students at 68th Street Elementary School. The students use technology to research, write, edit and create a library of books which are then made available as e-books online. They learn how to use a digital camera, download and edit photographs, create and print pages and publish and upload their books on the Internet. In the past, the students have done all of their work using only one computer. Now, with the funds from ING, they will have the proper technology and software to continue producing their e-books. The technology used in "Write On!" is designed to give the children leverage to express their creativity. According to Felix, the skills that the students learn during the process are invaluable. He hopes that each student will learn that they are bigger than their circumstances and that their ideas have the power to create wealth. Each book that the students produce is sold to their family and friends. With the ING award, not only will Felix's students benefit, but the entire student body and many students will benefit for years to come. Felix resides in Los Angeles.

Virginia Irvin (2007)

Joe Walker Middle School
Lancaster, CA

The goal of Irvin's project is to increase student, family and school communication, improve access to technology, and promote family involvement to keep students and parents actively engaged in school and the community. Her program, "K.I.O.S.K. (Kreating Internet Opportunities for School & Kommunity)", allows parents and students to use English in a Flash technology to build English vocabulary, interpersonal skills, and academic cognitive language. Parents and students also have access to the district Edline portal to check on attendance, grades and homework assignments; are able to communicate with teachers and administrators; and can access the Internet to do research for school projects and employment, school and community volunteer opportunities. According to Irvin, on average, program users will gain 100 new English vocabulary words per week. As students and parents obtain English proficiency over the course of the project, reading levels and library circulation are expected to show a dramatic increase. Irvin resides in Lancaster.

Kyle Lowry (2007)

Northview High School
Covina, CA

Northview High School's journalism class, led by Lowry, will be introducing something new this year. "Express", an e-zine (online magazine), will be run by the class. "Express" will allow any student in the school to submit writing, artwork or digital photography. There are several phases to the project including production of a full-color book of all of the artwork and photographs submitted to the magazine. The journalism class will have full editing duties and will be designating special topics and themes for the magazine. The class will also be responsible for instructing students on the guidelines and how to submit work. After "Express" has run successfully for several months, Lowry says that any high school in California wishing to participate in this revolutionary project will be welcome to contribute. Lowry resides in Covina.

Martin Teachworth (2007)

La Jolla High School
La Jolla, CA

"The Car Conversion" project, created by Teachworth, will involve students in grades nine through 12 at La Jolla High School. It will allow students to work and lead cross-curricular teams. These teams will form 'company-like' organizations to design and convert vehicles from gas-generated to electric. They will then install photovoltaic panels to help power these vehicles. Students will learn alternatives to fossil fuels for generating electrical power. The simultaneous conversion of two vehicles will allow two major groups of students to work on and develop an efficient electric vehicle. The project will simulate a car company production effort using approximately 381 students from seven different academic and industrial art courses. Teachworth resides in La Mesa.

Kirk Bundy (2006)

Newhart Middle School
Mission Viejo, CA

Bundy's award-winning project, "To Infinity & Beyond: Researching to Podcasting Global Energy Awareness", is a collective program that involves all students - including special education, average and gifted students. Students in the program at Shorecliffs Middle School will work in small teams to research today's most critical energy issues and produce audio/video energy awareness global podcasts. The podcasts will then be researched, scripted and produced by the student teams and will include information and photos from various websites and video clips. Each team's audio and video podcasts will deliver important energy awareness messages to their school and overall community on ways they can protect their environment for the future. Bundy resides in San Juan Capistrano.

Cathleen Meach, Charles Webster, Sandy Paul, Cindy Tobey and Joy Straub (2006)

Vessels Elementary
Cypress, CA

Meach and her team hope the "California Pow Wow" program will break down the walls of traditional classrooms through the use of modern technologies that connect Northern California students of the Paiute tribe with students in Southern California. The proposal outlines a plan to utilize web cameras and digital cameras to exchange information about regional geography, history and customs. A 77" interactive whiteboard would showcase the digital data students collect, while live video footage would allow them to share anecdotal information about their respective regions and lifestyles. Meach believes this program can not only help students at Vessels Elementary hone their writing skills, but it can also help eliminate stereotypes among each group through direct communication. According to Meach, students will create media-rich research reports and provide reference materials for future fourth-graders at Vessels Elementary and throughout the district.

Maria Shiffer (2006)

Seeley Union Elementary School
Seeley, CA

Shiffer's innovative program idea, "Imperial Valley Desert Ecosystem", is an integration of life and social sciences. The program involves the study of the local area desert ecosystem and allows students to learn more about the area in which they live. Students will explore the flora and fauna of the desert as well as conduct research about California Native Americans that have long lived near the area. The objectives of the study are for students to learn about and re-create a desert ecosystem on school grounds, research various gardening concepts, and gather information on native plants and animals. The re-creation of the ecosystem will give students hands-on experience and a chance to study science outside of the classroom. At the end of the program, participants will take a tour of two local museums to continue the study of the native animals. Shiffer resides in El Centro.

Claire Stoermer (2006)

Fruitvale Elementary School
Oakland, CA

It is the 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area. Stoermer wants to educate her fifth-graders on how to use The National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project Curriculum, which is linked to the state standards, through her "Living in the Danger Zone" program. Ninety-five students will research and collect solar-powered tools and equipment used to sustain life in case of a blackout due to a natural disaster. At the end of mastering the NEED curriculum and the tools, the students will create PSA's on DVDs to be administered to the community. Students will also develop a Solar and Safety Brochure explaining how to use each tool and equipment with step-by-step guidance in case of an emergency. Stoermer resides in Oakland.

Terry Bermudez (2005)

Simonds Elementary School
San Jose, CA

“The Simonds Community Band” project is the brainchild of Bermudez. She has successfully dedicated her time and energy to help bring together volunteers from the community to help run the program. This unique project is run solely by these volunteers and provides child musicians of all ages and skills the opportunity to study music together. The project also helps with the children’s self esteem and leadership skills. Bermudez resides in San Jose.

Eric Cleveland (2005)

New Roads High School
Santa Monica, CA

Cleveland, a teacher at New Roads School, developed the “Tools to Save the Planet Workshop” program to address the effect that conventional energy sources have on the ecosystem and to explore alternative energy sources. Specifically, sources involving electricity. In “Workshop,” a daily discussion of newsworthy issues relating to energy will provide a starting point from which students will develop a comprehensive understanding of conventional and alternative energy. They will also explore why conservation and the development of sustainable, less toxic energy should be at the forefront of scientific study. To culminate the intensive study of energy and how to incorporate cleaner energy into their daily lives, students will share news of their work with the entire student body through science fairs and special presentations. Parents and the community will learn of the finding s through articles in New Roads publications and the local newspapers. Cleveland lives in Beverly Hills.

Howard McNair (2005)

Roosevelt High School
Fresno, CA

With childhood obesity on the rise in the U.S., McNair came up with a unique program, “California D.R.E.A.M. (Diet Right Exercise Assessment Management)ing & See You at the Top,” to help reverse the statistics. The program, which targets at-risk youth ages 13-18 with a Body Mass Index (BMI) above the 30 percent range, is an interdisciplinary project that incorporates physical education, nutrition, math and science. Students will learn key behavioral changes such as increasing their consumption of water and participating in more physical activities – including hiking to the top of Yosemite ’s Half-Dome. The school does not currently have a fitness center and there isn’t one near the campus. As a part of the program, McNair plans to create a fitness center where students can get the exercise they need to stay fit and in turn boost their self esteem. McNair hopes to help the students develop healthy lifestyles that will last throughout their lives. McNair lives in Clovis.

Joanne da Luz (2005)

Life Learning Academy Charter High School
San Francisco, CA

Life Learning Academy students come from troubled backgrounds and are generally disenchanted with learning. To engage students, teachers usually collaborate and teach using experiential learning, and modeling learning as it happens in the real world. Da Luz saw a chance to use geometric and artistic principles and created the “Tessellating Tiles Mosaic Project” and had her students design a large-scale mosaic, visually enhancing the school’s campus. The project originated last year with a smaller scale assignment of a 2x2 mosaic, and she recognized the potential interest from students if the project were to be expanded. Together with the school’s art and construction teachers, 30 students each year will create a wall-size mosaic. Da Luz, who lives in Orinda, will use the grant funds to invest in materials that will allow the project to be self-sustaining and beautify the campus year after year.

Barry Scott (2004)

The Camp (at Juvenile Hall)
French Camp, CA

Scott’s program, “Filmmakers Making Changes at Juvenile Hall,” challenges at-risk youth serving time in the juvenile detention center to direct their energy toward positive and constructive filmmaking activities. Working as teams, and in individually assigned roles including director, scriptwriter, set designer, cinematographer and editor, students in the program plan, develop, record and edit videos addressing a variety of topics. After teams have completed production, students share positive feedback and constructive criticism of the videos. Allowing students a chance to increase their personal writing, reading, speaking and listening skills, the video projects improve student self-esteem, social awareness and attitudes toward learning.

Larry Statler (2004)

Santa Teresa Elementary School
San Jose, CA

Statler’s project, “Hands Across the Internet – A Home and School Language Arts Connection,” is designed to allow students of varying ability levels the opportunity to utilize computer and Internet technology to communicate with family, friends and school staff, while increasing their personal reading and writing skills. Students in the Discovery Program, which is a blended classroom of kindergartners and students with severe handicaps, work together on school projects with the goal of breaking down the barriers of ignorance, prejudice and intolerance. Through providing a multimedia experience using computers, digital cameras and scanners, and the Internet, students in the program have the opportunity to display their school accomplishments and maintain a written and pictorial email connection with friends and relatives anywhere. The project is designed to strengthen the connection between the home and school, while keeping parents more informed of their child’s progress.

Samantha Allen (2003)

Lincoln Middle School
Santa Monica, CA

Allen's "Paths of Islam" project uses Islamic art to explore mathematics. During this project, students discover the relationship between an artistic pattern, a T-chart, a function and a graph. Students explore various visual patterns and organize the data into T-charts and later use that information to graph it on the coordinate plane. Students then are able to create formulas to represent each pattern and graph. Finally students make their own linear pattern like the ones used in Islamic art to create their own "path to Islam." Students enjoy using their artistic and creative talents and applying them through this cross-disciplinary math project.

Sarah Barten (2003)

James Monroe Elementary
Bermuda Dunes, CA

Barten's "Writing, Integrating Technology" project helps students improve their writing skills through the use of laptop computers. Through a word processing program, students learn sentence structure, grammar, capitalization, punctuation and spelling. The computer program makes it easy for the children to see their mistakes and work with an editing partner to correct the errors. Since making corrections is so easy, students are not intimidated to articulate their ideas. By the end of the school year, students have developed strong writing skills and are capable of creating school newsletters and other published materials.

Jorge Cortez (2003)

Juarez-Lincoln Accelerated School
Chula Vista, CA

Cortez's "Learning is Fun, Entirely (LIFE)" program provides additional literacy instruction for students in need of academic intervention. Teachers work with these students for at least an hour after school and help the students work on projects based on identified skill and language needs. Students are challenged to create projects including a newspaper of school and community events, writing and directing a theater production, and Socratic discussions of selected readings. Parent workshops teach strategies for working at home with students and build a family learning focus. Participating parents receive gift certificates to educational stores so they can continue literacy games and projects at home.

Shellie Dansby-Hall (2003)

Thomas A. Edison Elementary School
Altadena, CA

Dansby-Hall's "The Motivation-Mentor-Character Education Study Group" is designed to motivate students to be successful members of society. It will provide a positive, nurturing environment, develop positive value in students' personalities (Character Education), expose students to community leaders, and help students develop an educational plan for the future. This program will provide students with many activities, including writing an educational plan and learning the 6 Pillars of Character through essays and presentations at various community events. Students will write resumes, hold a Dress for Success Day, go through a mock interview, and perform various community service activities. Also part of this program is weekend study groups designed to improve state standardized test scores.

Margo Schullerts (2002)

Encinal School
Live Oak, CA

Schullerts' "Fort Encinal" is an interactive living history program where yearlong student research about the Western Movement culminates in a two-day reenactment of the period. Throughout the year, students study different aspects of the era with the help of guest speakers, books, videos, and craft making and earn "money" to use at the group's "trading post." At the end of the year, students attend the overnight Fort Encinal, where they participate in Gold Rush era activities such as basket weaving, quilting, bread baking, butter churning, panning for gold, and singing of period songs. The program promotes teamwork and learning about history in an exciting, fun environment.

Sloan Holmes (2001)

West High School
Bakersfield, Calif.

Holmes' "Positive Youth Development Program" is a health advocacy project that improves the overall well-being of students at West High and surrounding elementary schools. The campus-wide project involves various activities: health fair, the creation of a tobacco- and drug-prevention mural, campaigns to promote healthier diets, a performing arts festival, and a suicide prevention program. The project also includes trained Student Health Advocates and the creation of the Tobacco Prevention Puppets, aimed at K-2 students. As the West High students enhance their school environment and build relationships with teachers and each other, they improve general health knowledge and develop strong feelings of connection and belonging.

Susan Mach (2001)

Ontario High School
Ontario, Calif.

Mach's " Art Garden" project is a cooperative garden that includes both visually appealing landscape architecture and sculpture created by students. The purpose of the Art Garden is to draw attention to Ontario High School's Fine Arts program and Earth Club, while beautifying the entrance to the building. The Garden also benefits students as they earn Advanced Placement credit and build a portfolio of direct observation of landscape-based artwork as required by many college-level art programs.

Lynz Mullaney (2001)

Blackstock Junior High
Oxnard, Calif.

Mullaney's "Bowling for Brains" project is a highly interactive series of lessons that shows students how to interpret statistics and analyze data to recognize how they are used to present hypotheses. The project introduces students to magazines and Internet polls and applies scientific thinking to examine how researchers' preconceived notions and biases affect their conclusions. Students then form hypotheses of their own and conduct their own surveys in order to prove or disprove their ideas. The unit ends with a trip to the bowling alley where students are grouped to test their hypotheses. The project promotes objective thinking and opens students' eyes to the way statistics can be skewed to meet the researcher's goals.

Gail Powers (2001)

Valley View Middle School
Simi Valley, Calif.

Powers' "Democracy in Action" is a cooperative project between several Valley View teachers that simulates a national nominating convention. As part of the project, students experience the presidential election process as they read about election history, debate national issues, create their own platform, and participate in the convention as delegates, pollsters, speakers, registrars, chairpersons, campaign managers and candidates for office. During the process, students are able to improve their speaking and communication skills while learning more about our political process and how it works.

Torrence Temple (2001)

Shivela Middle School
Murrieta, Calif.

Temple's "Eggs N Science" project is a year-long program in which students develop a science-based movie starring "Eggs N Science" – a four-inch tall wooden egg and class mascot. Students first select a science concept and use it to develop a script for their film. Next, students form production teams that take on the individual tasks of research, writing, character casting, prop creation, scheduling, filming, editing, and planning the premiere. At last, the film is shown to fellow students and parents. Through it all, students learn lessons in science, writing, teamwork and technology that will help them throughout their lives.

Marcia Blum (2000)

The Bridge Program
Pleasant Hill, CA

Blum's "Bridge Café Project" is a vocational training program for Special Education students in Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Using a complete kitchen and lunchroom in the district's administrative office building, the program prepares developmentally disabled students for a full-time community vocational skills program or for competitive jobs in food preparation. By offering hands-on training in all aspects of restaurant work, the project helps give these students the experience and self-confidence they need to make transitions into the community.

Liana Gefter (2000)

Edison McNair Academy
East Palo Alto, CA

Gefter's "Published Positivity: My Best Day" project concentrates on at-risk fifth graders whose lives often involve troubled homes or gang violence. Each student writes an essay about a positive experience, a "best day," and illustrates it. All student essays are then collected into a journal. The project helps participants, the majority of whom are second-language learners in English, to familiarize themselves with the various steps in the writing process, improve language and writing skills, and become personally invested in writing by focusing on hopeful messages in an often negative environment.

Leon Lewandowski (2000)

Cleveland Elementary School
Santa Barbara, CA

Lewandowski's "Improvement Week" project pinpoints students' current achievement in six areas: homework, tardies/absences, reading comprehension, writing, spelling, and timed tests. The goal is to focus energy on improving in as many of these areas as possible. At the end of the week, students attend an awards ceremony and receive certificates and gifts donated by local sponsors – sometimes savings bonds that can be set aside to further higher education. The intensive project benefits not only under-achievers but also high-achievers who may have reached a "comfort zone."

Cheryl Talbot (2000)

Santa Susana High School
Simi Valley, CA

Talbot's "Literature Meets Visual Literacy" project challenges students to access higher-level critical thinking skills that require coordination between right-brain global thinking and more linear left-brain reasoning. Students write and illustrate poems, with attention to symbolic representation; using a timeline, they illustrate and share events from their lives; they collect and analyze quotations related to particular themes. In this way, students develop their reasoning abilities by exploring modes of creative and critical thinking.

James Berger (1999)

Dorsey High School
Los Angeles, CA Berger's "Immigration Simulation Activity" project gives students in a regular history class a chance to see what it was like to immigrate to a foreign country. Students from a limited English speaking class create a fictional country, complete with hotels, banks and restaurants. Students from the regular class make their own passports and travel to the new country. The projects helps both groups of students learn more about each culture and develop their communication and critical thinking skills.

Laurie Folweiler (1999)

James A. Weiden High School
Ione, CA

Folweiler's "Aeronautics and the Language of Mathematics" utilizes the concept of learning to fly an airplane to teach applied mathematics. Students are challenged to learn and apply math skills through a variety of projects including longitude and latitude map reading, weather analysis and forecasting, development of a detailed cross-country flight plan, and actually flying a pilot training flight simulator.

Pam Graham (1999)

Tetzlaff Middle School
Cerritos, CA

Graham's "PSA Squad" project gives seventh grade students a chance to learn video production skills through the creation of Public Service Announcements directed towards elementary school students. Students create their own scripts and storyboards, which they use to film their PSAs. The project helps the students expand their knowledge of healthy behaviors while also deepening the knowledge of the elementary students.

John Jackson (1999)

Monterey Highlands School
Monterey Park, CA

Jackson's "Project Earth" challenges students to take an active role in scientific research through the establishment of a seismological monitoring station at home and in the classroom. Students collect data and perform research on the topic of earthquakes. Additionally, students interview experts in the scientific community, review scientific literature, and write articles for the class's Project Earth Magazine.

Catherine Lopez (1999)

Jefferson Hunt Elementary
San Bernardino, CA

Lopez's "Special Guest Reader Videos" project provides tips and encouragement to parents on reading to their children. The videos, which are available for students and parents to check out, feature community leaders as the readers. The guest readers are also interviewed on the videos by student council members, providing parents and students insight into their community leaders.

Deborah McKenzie (1999)

Anna M. Glazier Elementary
Norwalk, CA

McKenzie's "After School Science and Technology Academy" project gives students the opportunity to develop their scientific skills after school by providing a weekly hands-on science program. Students study a wide variety of science topics including physics and earth science and use the Internet to conduct in-depth research on their favorite topics. The program also encourages parents to become more involved in their children's learning.

Sheryl Mercier (1999)

McCardle Elementary School
Fresno, CA

Mercier's "McCardle Mustangs Green Team" project helps to greatly reduce waste at the school. Students examine the different items that are thrown out and see which can be recycled. Students then volunteer to help recycle items during their lunch hour. Visitors to the school are also encouraged to recycle, and gardens are being planted in front of the school to help beautify the grounds.

Michael Miller (1999)

McKinley Elementary School
San Diego, CA

Miller's "Happy Healthy Heart" project teaches children the importance of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Students learn about the function of the heart and how to maintain proper fitness habits and diet. The project also incorporates elements that can be shared with family members, increasing family health as well.

Sondra Myles (1999)

Oakmont High School
Roseville, CA

Myles, "Trusty and Rule's Social Responsibility" project requires students to focus on one question: Does an individual have the same right to free medical care as they do to free education? Students will research every aspect of this question, conduct a community survey and simulate a public awareness campaign. Through this project, students are able to integrate every aspect of their academic disciplines.

Jeanne Casella (1998)

Mary E. Silveira
San Rafael, CA

Casella's EcoStars project was designed to benefit those students who needed to improve their reading and math skills. The students worked on a number of different ecosystem projects and became "experts" in their particular area. The project helped students gain valuable research and problem-solving skills and also taught them teamwork and environmental responsibility.

John Chocholak (1998)

Ukiah High School
Ukiah, CA

Chocholak's Manufacturing Technology project taught students the skills they need to enter into careers in manufacturing and engineering. Through hands-on activities, students used real world academic skills to design and create useful products. At the high school level, students learned more trade-specific skills which they applied to much more challenging problems.

Sheila Clapkin (1998)

Calvert Street School
Woodland Hills, CA

Clapkin's project, Now the Future, required students to "colonize" a new planet and develop the skills they needed to cooperate in a diverse world. From their experiences, students wrote a two-act play and designed their own city of the future. Through the project, students learned valuable communication and problem solving skills.

Steve Engelmann (1998)

Palisades Charter High School
Pacific Palisades, CA

Engelman's Mountains Project introduced students to Temescal Canyon Park, which lies across the street from their school. By integrating a physical education class, a science class, and an English class, students spent one day a week learning about the environment near their school.

Cher Glass (1998)

Nordhoff High School
Ojai, CA

Glass's Healthy Heart project combined two programs to assist students in making a switch from smoking to exercise. The first program taught students about fitness and how it affected their bodies and minds. The second program used peer education and counseling to teach students the psychological and physical effects of smoking. Together, these programs helped students make good choices about exercise and smoking.

Timothy Haag (1998)

Mission Park School
Salinas, CA

Haag's project, P.A.C.K. (Planned Acts of Computer Kindness), was designed to widen students' views of societal needs and to have them actively participate in improving the lives of those in their community. Through outreach programs with senior citizens, students would teach them about the internet and provide them with a link to other people. In addition, students would work within the school by providing computer services to other students.

Ana Infante (1998)

186th Street School
Gardena, CA

The goals of Infante's Multi-Cultural Dance Program were to improve students' achievement and interracial relations. Each week students were introduced to traditional dances from different countries. Through the study of diverse cultures, students learned more about the diversity in their own school and how it affects them.

Theresa Ridilla (1998)

Laguna Blanca School
Santa Barbara, CA

Ridilla's Lower School Opera Project provided students with an opportunity to help in every aspect of the production and performance of an opera. Students in the second, third, and sixth grades all worked on and performed in a production of Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The program helped students gain an appreciation of classical music and opera.

David Stevens (1998)

Berkeley High School
Berkeley, CA

Stevens' Youth Entrepreneurial project was designed to help at-risk students with learning disabilities develop a variety of pre-vocational skills. Through three small business projects, students learned the skills they needed to run a small business and the problem solving skills required to complete work in the three businesses.

Timothy Tuttle (1998)

Centennial High School
Corona, CA

Tuttle's project, Skull Island, incorporated geometry, biology, language arts, and a social science to teach students to be effective communicators, responsible citizens, and good problem solvers. The project required students to imagine that they were stranded on an island for one year. To 'survive', students were required to solve complex problems that a changing society would face.

Kandy Lamson (1997)

Folsom High School
Folsom, CA

Lamson's project, called PETS (Parent Education in Technology, by Students), invited parents into the classroom to learn about computer and technology curriculum being taught in the school district. Students organize what they have learned into teaching materials, develop a lesson plan, and teach the parents. The project provides an opportunity for increased self-esteem on the part of the student.

Jerry Lege (1997)

Dr. James Hogan Senior High School
Vallejo, CA

Lege's project, HI-TEC (Help Implement a Technology Enhanced Curriculum) combined a core mathematical curriculum with modern technology. Students developed a broad understanding of mathematics by engaging in activities that build a concrete awareness of the power and utilization of math. Evaluation of the program involves a comparison between students from HI-TEC and a traditional program on a variety of parameters, including attrition rate, SAT scores, college admissions results, and professional goals attained.

Anna McLinn (1997)

Marvin Avenue School
Los Angeles, CA

McLinn's project, The Elementary Fire Cadet Program, teaches students how to assist with community and family efforts in case of an emergency such as earthquake or fire. Twenty volunteer firefighters made a one year commitment to mentor students by presenting a positive attitude which recognizes the possibility of achieving opportunity and success through goal setting, education and hard work. This program is designed for at-risk students in hopes of challenging them to stay away from one of three local street gangs.

Laura Torres-Mejia (1997)

Bobier Elementary School
Vista, CA

Torres-Mejia's project taught students to culminate their elementary school experience by participating in a community service program. Students applied knowledge learned in the classroom to real-life situations, while developing civic values and a sense of community. Students learned how to write a business letter to solicit donations for needy organizations, researched soil erosion control and water recycling, and used mathematical equations to work out the proportions for a large painted mural.

Sharron Walker (1997)

Sharp Park Elementary
Pacifica, CA

Walker's Salmon and Trout Education and Storm Drain Stenciling project directly connects students with the environmental needs of their community. Under the supervision of the California Department of Fish and Game, students incubate Steelhead Trout in their classroom and release them into a local creek. Students also assist with a local city management plan by stenciling warnings against dumping waste or toxins in storm drains because they could flow into a nearby creek or the ocean.

Betty Hartnett (1996)

Ukiah High School
Ukiah, CA

Hartnett's project Adopt-A-Tree, was an innovative outdoor science project. The program integrated several fields ranging from botany and ecology to math and art for diverse grade and academic levels. Its framework utilized the skills and creativity of students to produce and maintain tree identification markers, trail guides, and bird boxes for the Redwood Valley Outdoor Education Center. The students also had the opportunity to become teachers when they guided visitors through the center.

Pamela Pandza (1996)

South Tamarind Elementary
Fontana, CA

Pandza's innovative reading project used materials in ways that supported high quality and researched-based techniques to promote early literacy. Parents were trained to support the desire and abilities of children to be successful early readers and writers. High interest books were purchased for parent/child use at home.

Barbara Smith (1996)

Palomares Middle School
Pomona, CA

Through a partnership with a local cable company, Smith's project was designed around the production of a television show, "Pomona School News." The talk show allowed students to interview community and national leaders, including President Bill Clinton. The students participated in studio tours, computer workshops, and speech and essay contests. The program has reinforced existing skills, developed technical skills, increased community involvement, and exposed students to career options.

Colorado

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Shannon B. Samuelson (2008)

Ridgeview Elementary School
Craig, CO

Samuelson hopes 150 students in kindergarten through second grade to benefit from being part of a structured literacy environment through a program titled, "The Daily Five Alive! Strategies for Literacy Independence". Utilizing the concepts shared on the DVD by authors Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, Samuelson and Ridgeview Elementary School's team of kindergarten through second grade teachers are eager to implement the structured set of tasks designed to help students learn to work independently as readers and writers. The program includes: Read for Self, Read to Someone, Work on Writing, Listening to Reading, and Word Work. According to Samuelson, this program will help students develop the daily habits of reading, writing and working with peers and will lead to a lifetime of independent literacy. It will also result in an improvement in student achievement, both with the district and state assessment tests. Samuelson is a resident of Craig.

Mark E. Schreiber (2008)

Frontier Academy
Greeley, CO

Schreiber's program, "Seeds for Change" is the latest addition to his ongoing effort to engage students in deep and meaningful learning experiences through community projects that use powerful documentaries as a catalyst for social change. The goal of this program is twofold: 1) beautify the facilities of local charitable organizations with landscaping plants raised at Frontier Academy and 2) create a powerful documentary film of all stages of the project. Approximately 85 ninth-grade students and 20 members of Schreiber's Documentary for a Difference (D4D) class will learn the value of community service in a real, hands-on way. While doing so, students will film interviews of participants, fellow students, staff and community members to help show the powerful impact that service work can have on the life of a community. Schreiber lives in Ft. Collins.

Matthew R. Willis (2008)

Rangeview High School
Aurora, CO

Helping students prepare for the academic rigors of college is what the "Rangeview History Day" project is all about. Willis modeled his Rangeview High School history project after the National History Day program that helps teachers meet educational standards, disseminates high-quality curriculum materials and sponsors challenging contests that teach students the critical skills they need to be effective citizens in the 21st century. Current research on "best practices" in social studies classrooms specifies that students gain more knowledge through "doing" history. This project will provide more than 250 tenth and eleventh-grade students with a curriculum whose objectives are to 1) increase CSAP and ACT scores in reading and writing, 2) provide an opportunity for students to conduct college level research, 3) provide an authentic means of assessment and 4) find opportunities for students to attend college without the need for remediation. The monies awarded by ING will go toward assisting students with research opportunities, travel materials and computers. Willis resides in Aurora.

Tanya Cienfuegos-Baca (2007)

Rice Elementary School
Wellington, CO

Because Colorado is highly dependent on its mountain streams, Cienfuegos-Baca has developed a science and social studies-based program, "Establishing Environments", to teach her 45 sixth-grade students how stream flow creates rivers and to help the students understand erosion, deposition, and the effect of flooding and a dam on floodplains. They will also spend time at Colorado State University's Pingree Park Campus in the Rocky Mountains where they will learn first-hand about watershed, understanding the changes and effects on the ecosystem due to water flow, discharge, dams, canyons, valleys, tributaries, animal and human affect. Students will be expected to, at the conclusion of the program, design a project that demonstrates the impact the environment has on its local culture and also demonstrate an understanding of how the local community and agriculture depends on the environment. The students will ultimately be able to explain how and why civilizations chose specific locations to settle and how humans have impacted these environments. Cienfuegos-Baca lives in Wellington.

Carrie Glenn, Judy Glaznick, Judy Querry, and Marlene Brubacker (2006)

Belleview Elementary School
Greenwood Village, CO

Utilizing the success of a popular television show to encourage mathematics and geography is the innovative concept behind "The Amazing Math Race". Glenn and her colleagues plan to take nearly 100 third-graders from Belleview Elementary School and have them see the real world through academics. Students will begin their journeys by determining the latitude and longitude of their destinations. Throughout the exercises and simulations, they will research the flight distances, deposit checks, purchase airline tickets and figure bank account balances. On-line research will also play a role in this project, as students will be given assignments based on their intended locations. Opportunities will be given to connect this program with other people around the world through pen pals, virtual speakers and trips. By the end of the race, students will have their passports stamped and will collect any bonus points they have earned throughout their trips. The overall competition will allow the students to learn about the cities and continents in social studies, while encouraging friendly and unique competition.

Robert Pizem (2005)

Pomona Senior High School
Arvada, CO

According to Pizem, although students at his school live right along the front range of the Rocky Mountains and can even see them from the campus, many of them have not experienced the great outdoors. Hoping to change that, he came up with a unique program idea, “ the Outing Club,” which is an after school program to provide students an opportunity to learn about outdoor life. Students in the club will meet weekly to experience the wilderness, practice various fitness strategies and promote environmental awareness to their school and local community. They will learn rock climbing, yoga techniques and other important outdoor skills. The goals of the program are to give the students a sense of community, help them learn new skills, encourage them to stay healthy and to experience the world around them. Pizem lives in Golden.

David Ziegler (2004)

Rifle High School
Rifle, CO

Ziegler’s “Blast Off! Integrating Science with Space Exploration” project designs, plans and implements procedures for deep space exploration and sustaining a manned colony on a space station or planet. The project integrates physics, chemistry, biology, earth and space sciences as well as team-building, data analysis and problem-solving skills. All freshman and sophomore students experiment with hydroponic vegetable growth to develop a sustainable food supply; design, build and launch rockets; explore alternate sources of energy that could power a space station; and analyze actual NASA mission data. The project is inspired by research that shows students learn best when the subject is directly used to accomplish a purpose they perceive to be important, relevant and significant.

Karen Duell (2003)

Morey Middle School
Denver, CO

Duell's "Homework Help Club" project is a response to parents and students requesting on-site homework assistance. Because the home environment can be distracting, many students find it easier to complete homework at school. The safe, adult-supervised Homework Help Club is held in the school library four days a week. The library also has a computer lab where students can research various assignments and write papers. Teachers, parents and community volunteers are available to assist students with their homework and to provide a supervised environment for middle school students during hours when many would otherwise be left home alone.

Karen Fernandez (2003)

Arts and Cultural Studies High School
Denver, CO

Fernandez's "STEP (Student Teacher Empowerment Program)" project offers incoming ninth-grade students a three-week orientation to proactively combat problems that affect inner-city students. Meeting at a recreation center, students form advisory groups and rotate through a series of workshops, art programs and team building exercises. Evening information sessions are held for parents who also are encouraged to attend the daytime activities. The orientation culminates in an overnight trip to the district's outdoor learning site in the mountains. By instilling a sense of belonging and school pride in students, the program successfully targets issues that impede learning and engages parents in efforts improve student achievement. Other teaching team members in the STEP project include Bernadette Peterson, Janet Draper, Jordan Hand, Laura Herzig, Stacie Svendsen, Arturo Samora and Phil Gallegos.

Charmaine Keeton (2003)

Harrington Elementary School
Denver, CO

Keeton and fellow educator Alison Cox teamed up to create "FIRM - (Families Involved in Reading and Math)." FIRM is an interactive learning program in which parents have the opportunity to practice problem-solving strategies, cooperative learning and communication with their child. FIRM teaches parents to productively support their child's academic efforts through a variety of family-night activities that address the student's progress in reading, math and science. Parental involvement increases students' academic performance and encourages parents to be comfortable participating in their child's education.

Linda Ross (2003)

Montbello High School
Denver, CO

Ross' "Project Read-Along" engages high school juniors and seniors in the creation and production of traditional books and e-books for local elementary school students who need extra help with their reading skills. The books, which are distributed free of charge, have various themes centering on problems an elementary school student might face - moving to a new neighborhood, attending a new school or encountering a bully. The program teaches high school students the value of community service and the importance of being a mentor, in addition to teaching writing skills, Web site design and cooperative learning skills. The younger students benefit from additional reading practice and the mentor relationship they develop with the high school students.

Carol Mentasti (2002)

West Jefferson Elementary
Conifer, CO

Mentasti's "Primary Capital Gains" project identifies kindergartners and first-graders who have difficulty processing information and helps increase those students' chances for future success. Through assessment of phonological awareness and memory, educators are able to pinpoint deficit areas that can affect a student's self-esteem, education, socialization, and other daily living activities. By identifying learning disabilities early, educators are able to intervene and tutor students one-on-one as they learn to read and process information differently. As a result, students learn to read more easily and retain information more efficiently.

Cynthia Jensen (2001)

Highland Middle School
Ault, Colo.

Jensen's "Bridging the 3 R's and 3 A's in Education" project combines concepts of "access, analysis, and application" with standard core curriculum to improve student achievement. Supplemental computer software is added to the classroom and adapted to students' individual needs to extend basic math skills and improve reading comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar. Students hone abilities in fundamental areas and build enthusiasm for learning through stimulating, interactive instruction. The software helps them work at individual paces and get the right amount of help when they need it.

Randal Albrandt (2000)

Pomona High School
Arvada, CO

Albrandt's "Laser Optics" project uses light properties and lasers to teach students about problem-solving and taking charge of their own learning. Given lasers and different combinations of equipment, students form small teams and build systems to create unique optical patterns. The teams then work as a larger group and produce a 45-minute laser show that's presented to other students, faculty, and parents. In addition to engaging in learning that augments their physics classroom study, students explore small and large group dynamics while working together to solve problems.

Jari Sims (2000)

Manitou Springs Elementary School
Manitou Springs, CO

Sims' "History through the Eyes of Children" project brings to life the history and rich heritage of the small community of Manitou, Colorado, as discovered by young students who live there. After studying the town's history, students use their historical findings to put together a book and collaborate on the creation of a quilt. Other community members become involved through field trips, interviews, and guest speakers. In addition to increasing knowledge and developing a sense of pride about their community, students also hone skills related to writing, math, and research.

Pattyanne Corsentino (1999)

Place Middle School
Denver, CO

Corsentino's "Environmental Education" project engages students from all learning levels in the study of the environment around them. Students learn about a nearby creek and what they can do to protect it from environmental decay. The students develop teaching plans which they use to teach visiting students about the creek and the surrounding environment.

Diane Comstock (1998)

Gold Camp Elementary
Colorado Springs, CO

Comstock's Come to Your Senses project created a museum in the elementary school where students could explore the five senses through a series of eight activities. The construction of the museum allowed the students to develop problem-solving and communication skills through the cooperative development of the museum.

Michael McCarthy (1998)

Lopez Elementary School
Fort Collins, CO

McCarthy's Empty Bowls project allowed students and the community to come together to raise money for the county food shelf. Elementary students, with the guidance of high school art students, made bowls which were auctioned off to guests at Empty Bowls Dinner. Through this program students learned a greater appreciation for communication through art, the importance of community, and the importance of family and student involvement in schools.

Terrence O'Donnell (1998)

Eyestone Elementary School
Wellington, CO

O'Donnell's Outdoor Classroom project helped enhance the science classes in a rural community with a number of at-risk students. Through the planting of native trees and shrubs, the construction of a small pond and the assistance of students from Colorado State University, students gained a greater appreciation for the environment around them.

Kathleen Esmiol (1997)

Eagleview Middle School
Colorado Springs, CO

Esmiol, in conjunction with Karen Swartley and Carol Lee, developed Theater in Education, which integrates arts and academics to aid student learning through performance. Integrating arts and academics creates an enthusiasm for lifelong learning and empowers students to research and write original theater about relevant topics in the community. Students will also present pre- and post-workshops for students and adult audiences to explore the performance theme.

Jill Reynolds (1997)

Highland Middle School
Ault, CO

Reynolds' project is an outdoor educational experience which addresses the physical, emotional, mental, social, and cognitive needs of special education students. Students participate in a series of 1-3 day "expeditions" (hiking, backpacking, skiing, bicycling and horseback riding) in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. In addition to academic objectives, students are taught land ethics, environmental interrelationships, and constructive use of leisure time.

Jon Baier (1996)

Skinner Middle School
Denver, CO

Baier developed a technology and computer lab within his industrial education curriculum. In addition to learning the traditional skills of woodworking, students learned computer skills needed to design and create their own projects.

Connecticut

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Jillian S. Berlinski and Meredith Daniels (2008)

Riverside School
Riverside, CT

The pilot "Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Lab Classroom" will employ teaching concepts designed to reach and teach all students in a manner that works for them. Berlinski and Daniels agree that if lessons are designed with the notion of reaching all students, there will not be a need for adaptations and modifications after the fact. "Universal Design for Learning" does that. This research-based framework for developing curricula includes: educational goals, methods, materials and assessments that allow students to gain skills and enthusiasm for learning. This is done by providing support for learning and reducing barriers to the curriculum. An example of this is providing text in a digital format. This allows for many learners to access the text. Students with dyslexia, English as a Second Language (ESL) and vision impairments could have the text read to them. Students with comprehension difficulties could have "thinking prompts" imbedded in the text to stop while they are reading. This upfront planning enhances learning for many. At Riverside School, Berlinski and Daniels will start with a fifth grade class of 25 and begin to spread the concept to the remaining fifth graders.

Phyllis D. Jones (2008)

Lewis Mills High School
Burlington, CT

Jones, a K-12 physical education teacher/health coordinator at Lewis Mills High School, seeks to expand the winter physical education curriculum to include outdoor activities that students can engage in from December to February. The goal of her "Catch the Winter Wellness Bug" program is to improve cardiorespiratory fitness for all students and to promote year-round physical activities that contribute to personal wellness. Students will get their heart rate into the target zone and maintain it while participating in outdoor activities during their physical education classes. They will also learn proper technique for using cross country skis and snowshoes. By providing these activities in an ongoing instructional capacity, students will understand that health and physical activity are continuous throughout the year in warm and cold weather. Jones lives in Burlington.

Sylvia Hayes (2007)

Celentano Museum Academy
New Haven, CT

"The Worms Went in and the Worms Came Out" program encourages second-grade students at Celentano Museum Academy to involve themselves in the lives of worms and understand the impact worms have on the environment. It was created to build understanding and knowledge for children in the city who don't have backyards and to help them begin to think like scientists. Through research and the in-school worm bin, Hayes will help the youth become backyard ecologists. They will perform experiments to support their hypotheses about the worm as the simplest form of life. Although the 46 second-graders will be the initial beneficiaries of the program, all 483 students at Celentano Museum Academy will be impacted through collaborative research on sharing the planet. Ultimately, the goal is for the students' learning to improve as they develop an awareness of social responsibility and an ownership of knowledge because they will develop the project. Hayes lives in New Haven.

James Salsich (2007)

Plainfield Central School
Plainfield, CT

"Building Bridges - Constructing Meaning" is a program designed to explore large and small bridges and how they affect decision-making by individuals and in society everyday. Utilizing such content areas as math, science and social studies, and a final project utilizing language arts, Salsich and his colleagues will help 115 eighth-grade students at Plainfield Central School improve their problem-solving skills. Through this hands-on program, students will learn such things as how to measure and calculate angles, design a specific bridge for a specific function, as well as identify and explain the forces of tension, compression, torsion, shear and stress and strain as they relate to bridges. The students will also be able to explain the history and development of bridges, as well as explain the function of bridges in the past and in our current society. The students will venture into the community to examine and study local bridges and examine and design their own bridges. Ultimately, students will produce a final, full-color brochure of their own bridges. Salsich lives in Brooklyn, Conn.

Howard Nero (2006)

MicroSociety Magnet School
New Haven, CT

The "Checkmate! Chess for Champions (CHESS)" program is the brainchild of Nero. It provides students at MicroSociety Magnet School an opportunity to apply reasoning, patience, and critical thinking to chess as well as other learning opportunities. In order for learning to become functional, CHESS is a relaxed afternoon learning activity following the school's center-based learning in the morning. CHESS is integrated into the regular curriculum, and the math focused after-school CHESS idea was piloted two years ago. Since then, student math scores have increased by 30 percent, illustrating a remarkable impact. The program will be pairing students with on-line, age-mate players around the world. In addition to the 50 fifth- and sixth-grade students already participating, the program will expand to include any student with a desire to participate in the after-school CHESS program. The program instills self-esteem, self-motivation and sharpens critical thinking to open-ended questions due to the decision making that comes with playing chess. Nero resides in Wallingford.

Roald Haaland (2005)

J.C. Clark Jr. Elementary School
Hartford, CT

Haaland’s winning program idea is the “Golden Panther Publishing Company.” In the program, students from every grade level publish and promote works including poetry, short stories, book reports, research projects, media reviews, song lyrics, comics, sketches and other art work. Students join together in “The Den” to present and print their own works. The incentive to have their work published, printed and displayed gives students the motivation to do their best and use creativity. The project also involves parents and other members in the community. The theme for the project, “Join the Pride” will be used in other projects stemming from this one. Haaland lives in Ashford.

Teresita Nieves (2005)

H.C. Dwight School
Hartford, CT

In Nieves’ “Healthy Eaters” nutritional project, students will begin to address the prevalence of overweight students within the inner city schools. Both English and Spanish speaking first-graders will read and listen to literature about healthy foods. They will also help prepare nutritional recipes with participating parents and publish recipes in an individual cookbook. This cookbook presents an opportunity for Hispanic students to incorporate their culture into the recipes by using their native Spanish language. The “Healthy Eaters” program will also involve parents in a workshop with a Hartford Hospital nutritionist discussing healthy lifestyle choices. Students will see the benefits of making healthy eating choices early in life and how important it is to keep family involved as well. Nieves plans to reach out to notable figures, including Hartford mayor Eddie Perez and former University of Connecticut basketball player Rebecca Lobo, to discuss the benefits of eating healthy. Nieves is a resident of Wethersfield.

Linda Kent-Farinha (2004)

Wheeler High School
North Stonington, CT

Kent-Farinha’s “WHEELS (Wheeler High’s Entrepreneurs – Excel, Lead, Succeed)” program serves as the “vehicle” for students to develop, enhance and demonstrate their leadership qualities in business enterprises throughout the school and community. Students forge one-on-one relationships with local business leaders, community agencies, school staff and parents. The program allows students to address relevant business needs, ranging from the operation of the school store to conducting a computer-training course for seniors. Further, students involved with WHEELS continually assess the program’s success based on feedback and publish a quarterly newsletter about their “real world” experiences.

Jean Lowery (2004)

Bishop Woods Elementary School
New Haven, CT

Woods’ program, “New Haven ABC,” has third grade students write an A-B-C book modeled after “Washington, D.C. ABC’s - An Alphabet Picture Book About Our Nation’s Capital.” Students learn about their city by identifying important people, places and events in New Haven’s history. The book serves as a reference to identify historical landmarks and as a guide to the city. Students develop skills researching, map reading, writing and effectively using reference materials. Students use modern technology such as a digital camera for pictures of landmarks and a computer to download pictures.

Daniel Dreyfuss (2002)

The Ethel Walker School
Simsbury, CT

Dreyfuss' "Science Can Be Puzzling" uses manipulative "puzzles of the week" to simulate the kind of observation, hypothesizing, and testing that are central to scientific problem solving. The students also construct their own optical illusions that are placed around the school. By being encouraged to guess how a puzzle is done, students overcome the characteristic hesitance that so often hampers them in science labs. They learn to persevere in the face of frustration until a problem is solved and develop the skills they need to tackle labs that require repeated attempts to answer questions. In the process, students come to see the natural world as a puzzle that they are invited to solve.

Kenneth O'Konis (2001)

South Windsor High School
South Windsor, Conn.

O'Konis' "Crash Curriculum" project demonstrates Newtonian Physics through Driver's Education. Among the experiments student conduct are: measuring road friction with a police drag sled, simulating projectile motion in accident reconstructing, and diagramming vehicle and occupant kinematics. Students also document the use of Newton's Laws in actual court cases and review autopsy reports to determine who was driving during an accident. The project not only helps students translate the laws of physics to understandable, real-life situations, but also teaches them about the importance of safety behind the wheel.

Diane Strever (2001)

Tashua Elementary School
Trumbull, Conn.

Strever's "Raising Heroes" project is a 13-week unit that integrates language arts, social studies, information technology, and character education. Students begin the unit by selecting a hero and writing a position paper about that person. Through research and discussion, students then create an oral presentation of their hero and are challenged to create a substantive definition of a "hero." The project culminates in a "Heroes Night," during which students present their subjects to parents and community evaluators. This project helps students develop writing and research skills, while discovering the character traits and integrity required of true heroes.

Michael Gerich (2000)

O'Connell School
East Hartford, CT

Gerich's "Heart Rate Monitors and Physical Activity" is an interdisciplinary project that combines students' own experiences involving cardiovascular strength and endurance with knowledge gained from a concurrent classroom science unit about the heart. Students use personal data from heart monitors and interpret results in graphs. The project increases student learning about factors affecting their hearts and helps them explore the benefits of good nutrition and an active, healthy lifestyle.

Thomas Dzicek (1999)

Captain Nathan Hale School
Coventry, CT

Dzicek's "Monster Match" program pairs his classroom with one in Scotland and another in Connecticut. The classes collaborate in developing a fictitious monster, incorporating creative and descriptive writing and arts and crafts. The stories and art are posted on the schools' websites. The project culminates in a video conference in which the students meet each other and share their projects.

Delci Lev (1998)

Betsy Ross Arts Magnet
New Haven, CT

Lev's Urban Youth Center project is an alternative program for students who have been removed from the mainstream education system. While teaching English to at-risk students, Lev found ways to open them up to new learning experiences and was able to help them develop reading and writing skills that the mainstream programs could not. The Urban Youth Center was born out of this experience.

Virginia Staugaitis (1997)

Washington Primary School
Washington Depot, CT

Staugaitis' project is designed to promote the acquisition of a second language for pre-school and elementary students. Children serve as "readers" of early childhood literature books, which are available in both English and Spanish, and are recorded on audio cassette tapes. Books and tapes are made available for lending to students in grades K-2 and to children enrolled in the local Head Start program.

Thomas Abbott (1996)

Coventry High School
Coventry, CT

Abbott's environmental studies course allowed students to engage in complex and meaningful environmental science research while helping the community address environmental concerns. Joint research projects with students and environmentalists both nationally and internationally were conducted on issues related to soil, forestry, wildlife, and aquatics.

Washington, DC

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Kelly Emminger (2007)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School
Washington, DC

Through Emminger's "Hands-on, Minds-on Learning Centers" program, first-grade students at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School will shift from textbook and workbook learning to more hands-on activities within "centers". By using the research-based teaching recommendations of Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget, students will be able to focus on seven of Howard Gardner's intelligences that are most often overlooked in traditional schooling: the visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical/rhythmic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, naturalistic, and existentialist. To support these intelligences, Emminger will create such learning areas as: the visual and dramatic arts center, the movements and music center, the nature center, the construction center and the global community center. These centers, according to Emminger, will provide students with high-quality, developmentally-appropriate resources and materials to design explorations, conduct experiments, and work collaboratively to pose questions and solve problems. Students who have been labeled "too active", "overly social", "too shy", and "uncommunicative", will especially thrive by working in centers where the materials and activities validate their individual skills and talents. Emminger resides in Washington, DC.

Earnest Franklin (2007)

Bancroft Elementary School
Washington, DC

The "Weather Wonders" program allows students to explore types of weather, weather prediction, temperature, clouds, and winds. The "Weather Wonders" unit will gather daily information on weather using the Internet to compare and contrast their city's weather with others around the country and the world. Elements of Franklin's program for his 122 fourth through sixth-grade students at Bancroft Elementary School include developing a brochure, giving a keynote presentation, capturing information via camera or camcorder, and developing a class website displaying everything they have learned. The students will also write and produce a weather show for the student body. Franklin resides in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Victor Reece (2006)

DC Alternative Learning Academy
Washington, DC

The students at Reece’s school have special education needs, and social and environmental deficiencies. As a way to address those needs, Reece came up with a winning program idea, “COPY (Creating Outstanding Positive Youth),” to assist in the development of the students. The annual program helps students attain and maintain various vocational skills that will help develop their moral and educational foundations and develop them into productive citizens. The students will be exposed to studies in technology, life skills and a variety of career planning opportunities to help prepare them for life in the “real world.” they will also learn about job etiquette, resumes, job applications and other skills that will improve their writing, grammar and mathematical abilities and help build their self-esteem. The goal is to give students a safe educational outlet and experiences that will have a positive impact on their lives and thus a positive impact on the community. Reece lives in Washington, DC.

Wendy Reeve (2006)

Oyster Bilingual Elementary School
Washington, D.C.

It has been Reeve's dream to reinvent the idea of homework for her students at Oyster Bilingual Elementary School. With her "Homework Discovery Bags/Bolsas de Tarea Para Desaubrir" program, she will provide her first-graders with the opportunity to learn using hands-on and cooperative activities. The Homework Discovery Bags will be a collection of age-appropriate books, poems, songs, math problems and other learning materials in either English or Spanish. The decorated bags will each have a theme dealing with topics such as dinosaurs, rainforests, bugs or space exploration, to name a few. Each student will take home a bag and complete the required activities in one week, switching between the two languages each week. Journals will also be completed by both the parents and students to document the experiences and reactions of working with the bags. As students exchange the bags and supplies are replenished, the journals will stay with the individual bags as other families add entries. As the project continues, completed journals and "Homework Discovery Bag" experiences will be shared as a regular classroom activity. Reeve resides in Washington, D.C.

Charlene Howard (2004)

St. Francis deSales Catholic School
Washington, D.C.

Howard’s “Journey” project engages seventh and eighth graders in a two-year curriculum that focuses on African roots and the African-American presence in the United States. Students learn about the history of ancient Africa, African and African-American contributions to the world, and the African presence in America prior to the days of Columbus. Several movies, games, books, archival documents and field trips are used to teach each topic, and the classroom is coated in African fabric, posters and other cultural items to help reflect an African setting. Students also keep journals and experience different elements of the African culture through activities such as storytelling, cooking, art, music and dance. At the culmination of the project, students share their acquired knowledge and perspective about the African and African-American cultures in an open forum for both their peers and the public.

Ora Hall (2002)

Young Elementary
Washington, D.C.

Hall's "Literary Exploration/Enhancing Literacy with the Use of Technology" is a project that gives parents hands-on computer application training that will let them conduct projects designed to bolster the literacy development of their kindergarten and first-grade children. The parents learn to use software to perform Internet research, reinforce letter/word recognition skills, and develop the students' skills in phonetic awareness, critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making. Besides promoting parent/child interaction, the program fosters collaboration between the home and school, increases the students' chances for academic success and helps make them lifelong learners.

Vera Rosier (2000)

Spingarn Senior High School
Washington, D.C.

Rosier's "Each One Reach One" is a mentoring program that encourages students between the ages of 15 and 19 to stay in school by pairing them with successful professionals. The mentors – teachers, administrators, counselors, and individuals from community-based agencies – serve as role models, lending advice, support, and encouragement to improve students' self-esteem and help them graduate and move toward economic self-sufficiency. The project increases the employability of economically disadvantaged teens by providing a link between education, career awareness, and future employment.

Barry Sprague (1999)

Park View Elementary
Washington, DC

Sprague's "Science and Reading Home Connection" provides parents and students an opportunity to complement and supplement school learning. Students select science, mathematics and technology-related activity kits to work on at home with their parents. Student journals and portfolios are then shared in the classroom.

David Schleper (1998)

Kendall Demonstration Elementary School
Washington DC

Schleper's Shared Reading Project was designed to improve the literacy skills of deaf students, by emphasizing the impact parents have on their children. Because 42 percent of the students live in homes where English is not the primary language, one of the main goals of the program is to successfully teach all the students both English and American Sign Language.

Spencer Salas (1997)

Cardozo Senior High School
Washington, D.C.

Salas' project paired high school students whose primary language was not English with English speaking elementary students. The high school students developed, wrote and illustrated books that they then read to the younger students. The program helped the high schoolers continue their development of reading and writing English in a nurturing environment and promoted a cultural exchange and understanding for all students involved.

Susan Eastman (1996)

John Eaton
Washington, D.C.

Eastman's project integrated the fields of language, science, research, and art through a tag team writing project. Eaton Elementary was one of seven schools nationwide that collaborated in the writing of a science fiction story. In preparation, students conducted research and interviewed outside experts.

Delaware

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Michael A. Gliniak (2008)

Springer Middle School
Wilmington, DE

Gliniak developed the "Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids (HFHK)" project to teach eighth-grade students how to grow a vegetable garden and how to cook what they've grown. With 800 square feet of raised bed vegetable gardens at Springer Middle School, more than 350 students plant, harvest and taste a variety of vegetables. This hands-on gardening experience not only makes learning more meaningful to students, but it also enhances achievement and comprehension, promoting integration of knowledge across subjects. Gliniak's green thumb program encourages students to eat more vegetables, try new ones, improve their diets and health awareness and become more aware of agricultural and environmental issues. Gliniak plans to also engage his students in expanding the school's composting area and increasing HFHK's ecological emphasis. Students have already demonstrated they will eat vegetables they have grown themselves, including chard, beets, radishes, turnips and arugula. Gliniak resides in New Castle.

Cheryl Potocki, Steve Satalino, Chuck Biehl, Marybeth Cote, Debbie Ott, Eileen Saddow, Dave Schoenbach, Bill Tressler and Dawn Vega (2007)

Charter School of Wilmington
Wilmington, DE

Potocki and her eight colleagues within the Charter School of Wilmington's math department developed the "Math Lab" program specifically designed for this math and science specialty school. All 950 students will benefit from the "Math Lab", allowing them to ideally perform data gathering math activities. The lab will also allow the teachers to run more dynamic classes. The ultimate "Math Lab" will consist of 10 student work stations and one teacher station, each equipped with work surface space for three students, a computer with a variety of software to help with the math related activities, and a CBL and CBR (Texas Instruments tools that attach data-collecting probes to the students' graphing calculator or a PC). By creating this hands-on math lab, the team hopes to make math more fun and engaging as well as help students better retain what they learn.

The Jefferson School Team (2006)

The Jefferson School
Georgetown, DE

The "Differences as Strengths" multicultural studies program enables students to take part in a year-long study of a given country. Participating students at The Jefferson School will learn to appreciate a country's unique traditions (art, music, etc.) through daily learning opportunities. The program will allow students to draw comparisons and appreciate differences between another country's culture and their own. Since the program's inception three years ago, the school has experienced enhanced student performance, improved attendance, and the majority of students working above the state standard in the areas of foreign language, music and art. The school's entire population of nearly 115 students will all greatly benefit from this year of multicultural appreciation.

Angie Meadows (2005)

Wilmington Montessori School
Wilmington, DE

With the Internet now being an integral part of the classroom experience, Meadows saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her class to build relationships with students from around the world and created the “International Friends Village Project.” In conjunction with the 6-Friends Organization, her students will participate in an online “village” of six geographically diverse communities. They will meet on a secure intranet site and communicate as e-mail pen pals. Students will also collaborate on art, music and video projects, discovering similarities and celebrating differences between cultures. In addition to connecting with other young people, students will have a chance to connect with “elders” for intergenerational learning opportunities. The grant will go to the purchase of equipment required for participation. The school’s goal for the program is to develop students as global citizens, a key point in the vision and mission statement of Wilmington Montessori. Awareness will be brought to global problems and, hopefully, their relationships will yield solutions. Meadows lives in Claymont.

Michael Lingenfelter (2004)

Selbyville Middle School
Selbyville, DE

Lingenfelter’s “Teaching with SMART Technology” program is designed to motivate and increase interest in math for sixth graders by offering highly interactive lessons through a white board that is called the SMART board. Students can control the SMART board from a laptop, the projector or by directly writing on it in the classroom. The versatility of the SMART board also allows students to manipulate three-dimensional objects; extend patterns; master the use of measurement tools to find perimeter, area and volume of geometric figures; graph mathematical data; and determine the relative size of fractions, decimals and percents. The SMART board benefits students by making a variety of interactive lessons possible that help engage students in both learning and becoming excited about math.

Christine Chaney (2002)

East Side Charter School
Wilmington, DE

Chaney's "4-H Clubs" is a joint venture among East Side Charter School, the Delaware Cooperative Extension, New Castle County Office, and Delaware State University that provides extracurricular activities for the school's inner-city students. Some of the activities are: planting and cultivating gardens; building benches for the gardens; creating arts and crafts projects to display at the State Fair; touring farms and gardens; planning and cooking meals; and raising small animals to exhibit. The project helps bring students, community members, staff, and parents together and helps the students develop their knowledge, skills, and self-esteem.

Robyn Sturgeon (2000)

Sussex Technical High School
Georgetown, DE

Sturgeon's "Applied Geometry Quilting Project" is an integrated, standards-based, real-world application of geometry principles for students in the Applied Geometry unit. Students focus on geometrical shapes, linear equations, graphs, symmetry, measurement, and estimating, and then apply these principles to designing quilts, which are constructed and donated to local children's health care facilities. In addition to integrating geometry and artistic design, students employ research and writing skills as they prepare oral presentations on their projects.

Karen Derrickson (1999)

Henry M. Brader Elementary
Newark, DE

Derrickson's "Environmental Science" project enhances the school's current environmental science curriculum by providing non-fiction science reading materials for the students. The project helps teachers integrate environmental science into their curriculums and enhances students' reading and writing skills.

Ronni Cohen (1998)

Burnett Elementary School
Wilmington, DE

Cohen's project, Learning Works, helped students develop problem solving and time management skills, while introducing them to basic economic and entrepreneurial concepts. Through hands-on production of their own products, students learned how to design and build their products and then develop advertisements and a business plan.

Albert Lemos (1996)

Sussex Central Senior High School
Georgetown, DE

Lemos' project used technology and the "search for extraterrestrials" to reinforce disciplines such as astronomy and research. Through the design, construction, testing, and operation of equipment, students learned the process of obtaining information, as well as the analysis of data. Students used research, reading, writing, math, and analytical skills to gather information into a logical format.

Florida

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Kimberly Frey (2008)

Eau Gallie High School
Melbourne, FL

Frey plans to offer a more constructive alternative to handling student discipline cases at Eau Gallie High School. Through her volunteer efforts and those of a group of concerned teachers, the "Learning Alternative Appropriate Behaviors for Life (LAAB)" program will add a social skills learning component to the school's In School Suspension (ISS) program. The LAAB for Life program will enhance student learning by teaching the social skills needed to be successful in a school setting. Life lessons in positive communication, understanding diversity, exemplifying cultural and gender sensitivity, developing positive coping skills and handling conflict resolution will be shared with in school suspension students. Students will learn these much needed life skills through exposure to literature, lectures, role-play, and visual and performing arts. Frey's goal is to create a more positive school environment for students and staff, which is more conducive to overall student learning. Frey lives in Palm Bay.

Rebecca R. Hosick (2008)

Giunta Middle School
Riverview, FL

Hosick's "21st Century Literacy" project will provide students and teachers with computer technology to bring them together to create an innovative and exciting new way to approach the Language Arts Curriculum. With "21st Century Literacy", the objective is to create an educational atmosphere in which students use technology to aid in academic advancement. Motivation provided by this project will work to increase reading/academic abilities, student creativity/productivity and excitement to learn while simultaneously enhancing their technological knowledge, which is essential to reach their future goals. Hosick hopes that this 'language arts meets technology' program will excite students and enhance their learning experience. Hosick resides in Riverview.

Tanya R. Small (2008)

Forest Hill Elementary
West Palm Beach, FL

Small believes that most students would succeed if they knew how to examine themselves in terms of their habits, self-perception and beliefs. "Character Circle", a program that brings groups of kindergarten through sixth-grade students together, along with their guides, to discuss techniques that will help them to achieve academic success from the inside out. Small's program empowers students to discover the keys to unlocking their greatest academic potential. A guide states the objective and engages the students in discussion that entails vital coping skills that build self-confidence and boost enthusiasm toward learning, culture and life. Guest speakers help students discover that they hold the power to shape their destiny in spite of difficulties. Students will learn that they control whether they get all A's or F's, succeed or fail, or fall victim to being bullied. During each session, students learn to successfully reprogram their habits, self-perception and beliefs and uncover the secrets to becoming a better student and a better person. Small lives in West Palm Beach.

Ruth G. Webster (2008)

Lakemont Elementary
Winter Park, FL

Webster's "Lakemont Outdoor Classroom Initiative" incorporates "Hands-on–Mind-on" learning activities while promoting responsibility, understanding and respect for natural resources and living things in an outdoor interactive setting. Her project will allow kindergarten through fifth- grade students to develop an awareness of how concepts learned in science, math, language arts and fine arts relate to the real world. The outdoor initiative will partner and collaborate with such organizations as the Eagle Scouts, Whole Foods, Beautify Winter Park, Beautify Orlando and the Lakemont Elementary PTA to create an authentic nature-filled experience for students. Among other stations slated for implementation, students will enjoy a habitat consisting of plants, tress, bat houses and a pond. This project also addresses state and district benchmarks, as well as National and World Standards. Webster lives in Altamonte Springs.

Kimberly Frey (2008)

Rebecca R. Hosick (2008)

Tanya R. Small (2008)

Ruth G. Webster (2008)

Kim Anderson, Judy Mutter, Amber Nelsen, Elaine Vaught, and Diane Fontdevila (2007)

Osceola Elementary School
Naples, FL

"Click Into Critical Thinking" was created by Anderson, Mutter, Nelsen, Vaught and Fontdevila for the more than 885 kindergarten through third-grade students at Osceola Elementary School to improve their knowledge and critical thinking skills. By implementing the "Classroom Performance System" (CPS), which gives each student a remote device to hold allowing them to click a key to enter their response to any type of question, Anderson and her colleagues can monitor every student's response as well as assess their knowledge and skills before moving on in a lesson. This program not only actively engages all students, but it also helps the teachers develop engaging activities based on data, allows for student collaboration, and demonstrates student understanding of rigorous academic skills. The entire program leverages the game-based technology and challenges the students' rush to play outside of school. The "Click Into Critical Thinking" program's goal is to increase the students' capacity to generate higher-order questions and self assess what they are learning.

Eileen Biegel (2007)

R.M. Paterson Elementary School
Orange Park, FL

The "Archi-Techs" program, designed by Biegel, is a project-based multimedia learning experience in which her fifth-grade students at R.M. Paterson Elementary School will examine the essential question: "If buildings could talk, what would they tell us about the past?" Technology and architecture will be integrated by the "archi-techs" as they apply social studies, language arts, science and math during the students' year-long study of U.S. history. They will focus on local architecture and national historic buildings within the surrounding counties of Clay, Duval, and St. Johns, all in Florida. Through a variety of field trips to buildings and interviews with local architects and historians, students will begin to piece together the buildings' stories and share a perspective of U.S. history as seen through the buildings of the past. With support of local middle and high school students, the "archi-techs" will create a video podcast. Students will also create a scale model of each of the featured buildings/houses. By doing so, students are able to make a real-life connection to history instead of passively reading about it in a textbook, thus, bringing history to life. Biegel lives in Green Cove Springs.

Victoria Caruana (2007)

Madeira Beach Middle School
Saint Petersburg, FL

"R.A.R.E. Writing" is a program designed to teach sixth through eighth-grade students at Madeira Beach Middle School how to answer short and extended response questions in an efficient and effective manner. Caruana created the program to help students answer questions with confidence and competence, thus, becoming more effective communicators. R.A.R.E. (Restate, Answer, Reason, and Explanation) also gives the school's other teachers of math, science and social studies an easy strategy to use with students throughout the school. The ultimate goal is to help create an environment that values writing, raises the standard and builds test scores. By implementing R.A.R.E., students will receive a more direct approach to writing their answers to short and extended response questions. Potentially all 1,300 students at Madeira Beach Middle School will benefit from R.A.R.E. Caruana's hope is for the program to have a ripple effect on the entire school district and ideally the entire state. Caruana lives in Seminole.

Patricia Fairclough (2007)

Air Base Elementary School
Homestead, FL

Fairclough's program, "Book a Trip Around the World", is a seven-month global literary tour that uses multicultural literature as a catalyst for an in-depth exploration of world cultures. Approximately 650 students, kindergarten through fifth grade, will take a cultural literacy journey around the world to help them appreciate global diversity and actively communicate with children from a variety of cultures. With literature as its staple, students will also gain a new awareness of customs, lifestyles, values, philosophical traditions as well as physical geography. Ultimately, students at each grade level will become immersed in target cultures, develop a life-long love of reading, expand and challenge their awareness of their global community and develop long-term international friendships. According to Fairclough, "Book a Trip Around the World" will be a springboard for curiosity, provide vital research skills and build a sense of unity with the international human community. Fairclough lives in Naranja.

The Hernando Pre-K and Kindergarten Team (Karen Collier, Alanna Beaser, Tobey Hunter, Susan DeMichael, Dawn Ramm, Bridget Merchant, and Judy Price) (2006)

Hernando Elementary School
Hernando, FL

Reinforcing good reading and learning habits at home is the premise of the "PAC RATS (Parents and Children Reading All Together Successfully)" program. Approximately 160 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students from Hernando Elementary School will participate in a reading program that promotes literacy in the home as well as in school. Three days per week, the children will have the opportunity to take home a "PAC RATS" tote bag that includes a fiction or nonfiction story and a reading comprehension log. The idea is to engage parents in reading with their children on a regular basis early in life. This will allow the parents to support reading in the home as the child continues to develop. The team's program directly addresses the statistics that say that one out of four students entering kindergarten is not ready to successfully participate in school. By outlining the importance of reading for the parents, it puts students on track to achieve more in school.

Geraldine Kuerzi (2006)

Reedy Creek Elementary
Kissimmee, FL

The "Reedy Creek Eagle Science Club" program presented by Kuerzi allows students ranging from ages 9 to 12 to take advantage of hands-on scientific investigations. The Club will also help students develop science process skills and make connections between real-life and science. This outdoor classroom will stimulate approximately 200 third, fourth and fifth-grade students. This will improve their performance in other curriculum areas including reading, writing, mathematics and science by engaging them in various activities. The "Reedy Creek Eagle Science Club" involves teachers, parents and local business partners as sponsors or volunteers. Kuerzi resides in Orlando.

Edward Meszaros (2006)

Parkway Middle School of the Arts
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Meszaros' program, "Moments In Time", integrates learning strategies from theatre and movement arts such as playback theatre, storytelling and mime into the teaching of social studies, language arts and drama education. Both teachers and students at Parkway Middle School of the Arts are provided a unique opportunity to adapt a historical event into a stage performance by using words in association with expressive movement to present stories both orally and in writing. The program will emphasize listening and non-verbal, expressive skills, reading comprehension, vocabulary development and creative writing. It will represent a powerful and entertaining approach for helping students develop cognitive, behavioral and effective learning in social studies and literary and dramatic arts. A total of 240 students divided among eight classes will work with teachers to develop their own interpretation of the chosen work. Instructors will teach a "model" lesson in each participating social studies, language arts, drama and dance class. Students will receive feedback that will be incorporated into a final performance for parents, school staff, teachers, counselors, and other select members of the local community. Meszaros resides in Tamarac.

Matt Townley (2006)

George Jenkins High School
Lakeland, FL

The "Town to Town Art Project" proposed by Townley and his first-year humanities students would allow them to exhibit their knowledge and appreciation of the arts among students in communities throughout the world. The program, which the students at George Jenkins High School named in recognition of Townley, will allow high school students to purchase art (i.e., paintings, sculptures, architectural pieces), write artist biographies and develop critiques for each piece using elements discussed in class. Townley's students have already initiated the project locally and want to expand exposure on a global scale. For the local part of the project, students will volunteer to present their findings to students at a nearby elementary school and leave the pieces of art with the class. On a global scale, participants will purchase select works of art, prepare their original materials, and then ship the packages to schools overseas. Overall, Townley believes the program enhances learning by encouraging students' active participation and by leveraging students' compassion to help others recognize the value of art. Townley resides in Lakeland.

Kaye Geiger (2005)

Cutler Ridge Elementary
Miami, FL

In Geiger’s “A Dolphin Tale” project, approximately 160 fourth grade students will integrate learning about dolphins across several areas of their curriculum. In science, students will understand how the animals interact with the environment. In art classes, they will create models of dolphins and comprise them into a mural for school viewing. For their reading courses, students will read the novel, Island of the Blue Dolphin, about a child stranded on an island with only dolphins. In their technology and math courses, students will track dolphin locations and form graphs based on the data. Students will also plot the dolphin locations on a world map using their knowledge of latitude and longitude in their social studies courses. By the end of the school year, students should understand how science can be used in different subject areas in creative ways. Geiger is a resident of Homestead.

Maryellen Grebin (2005)

New School of Orlando
Orlando, FL

Grebin, a second grade teacher at the New School of Orlando, wants to develop a “Biodome,” a self-contained screened atrium where insects and plants thrive. In this structure, students will observe and monitor insects as they change, measure and record plant growth, experiment with cross-pollination and hydroponics, test the theory of global warming and learn the importance of bio diversity. The students will plant and learn to care for shrubs such as milkweed, porter weed, roses, hibiscus and other insect-friendly plants. As they watch the insect life cycles, students will keep a science journal of their observations and notations. The “Biodome” will provide a chance to show how living things depend on each other for survival and that humans rely on natural resources. Grebin lives in Longwood.

Daniella Hickling (2005)

New Dimensions High School
Kissimmee, FL

The “Passion for Change” conference hosted by New Dimensions High School allows Hickling’s students to learn the impact history and culture have on society. Leading up to the three day event, students will research the political, economic, social and cultural changes of Francophone and Latin American history. Particular topics of interest include colonization of the New World, the Renaissance, slavery, economics and o ther subject areas. They will then present their findings at the school conference, which will include roundtable discussions and a cultural fashion show. It will also have exhibitions, dramatic interpretations of literary works and opportunities to learn about culture through music, dance and food. In the end, participants will have taken ownership of their learning, shared their finding s with others and built research portfolios. Hickling is a resident of Kissimmee.

Diana Latta (2005)

Palatka High School
Palatka, FL

Capitalizing on the popularity in forensic science that has been sparked by the media, Latta came up with a program idea, “Palatka High – CSI.” The program will include the development of a forensic science course at the school, the first in the county, where students will learn about inquiry-based activities. Each student will learn skills that are necessary to analyze and process evidence that might be found at crime scenes including blood spatter detection and analysis, toxicology, fingerprinting, hair and fiber analysis, and facial reconstruction techniques. To evaluate the students’ progress and performance, Latta will stage a mock crime scene that each student will have to investigate and analyze based on what they’ve learned in the class. The goal is to generate student interest in forensic science. Latta lives in Haw thorne.

Jamie Bates (2004)

Manatee Elementary
Viera, FL

Bates’s “Small Hands, Big Hearts” program teaches students about citizenship and the value of community service through hands-on experience. The program transforms the classroom into a working community, as students create their own government, constitution, stores, bank and post office. Students in the theoretical community earn a salary based on work production and quality, pay bills using checks, participate in business and government activities, and pay taxes as citizens of their community. The project immerses students in “real-world” situations where they apply the concepts of government, economics, and personal finances. Students also are exposed to the importance of community service, as they participate in projects to help a local homeless shelter, nursing home and children’s hospital. Designed to help participants develop a better understanding of community, the project allows students to grow as individuals and learn through service to others.

Maria DeChristofano (2004)

West Melbourne School for Science
West Melbourne, FL

DeChristofano’s “Outfitting Mars Base 2020” project introduces kindergarten through sixth grade students to biosphere research and models a semi-permanent science colony on Mars. Located near NASA and the Kennedy Space Center, the school’s students work together to cultivate a viable food supply that can sustain scientists and astronauts on an interplanetary mission. The project takes place in the Mars Pod, a 40-foot diameter geodesic dome greenhouse constructed in summer 2004. Inside, each student grows his/her own crop. Students demonstrate heightened interest and awareness of environmental issues, nutrition, teamwork, science and our nation’s space program.

John O’Brien (2004)

Barron Collier High School
Naples, FL

O’Brien’s “The Aging Game” establishes an “Aging Center” at the school that acts as a resource center to meet the challenges and problems of a growing elderly population. Using computer stations, students assume the identity of a 50 year-old person, including various personal attributes such as health and finances. Students are presented with questions on gerontology and geriatrics. Correct answers result in aging gracefully and no major losses; incorrect answers lead to problems with health, finances and quality of life. Students maintain a CD journal regarding medical disorders and reflections on aging. The project increases students’ knowledge and awareness of the aging process, empathy for the elderly, and the needs of an aging population. Further, students develop skills such as communication, technology, leadership and organization.

Mary Tumbleson (2004)

Partin Settlement Elementary School
Kissimmee, FL

Tumbleson’s “Einstein Hour” uses hands-on materials and science experiments to create a positive learning environment and build community, compassion and character development in the school. Students from third, fourth and fifth grades are paired together to help each other understand the physical, life and earth sciences. They are given materials and a question about the concept of that day and help each other describe the processes used to find the answer and complete their science logs.

Mary Arico (2003)

Fox Trail Elementary
Davie, FL

Arico's "Math in a Bag" program provides students and parents with hands-on, family-friendly home learning materials that integrate math, reading, writing and technology. Teachers are given five "Math in a Bag" kits: each includes one hands-on math activity, one math-related literacy book, one composition book for student/parent reflections and a list of math skill related Web sites. Students can check out each kit for one week on a rotating basis. The program builds a positive relationship between parents and teachers while increasing parental support for students' academic achievement. "Math in a Bag" increases student motivation and enthusiasm for math by making mathematics interesting and more understandable.

Stacey Ayers (2003)

Port St. Lucie High School
Port St. Lucie, FL

Ayers' "Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R.)" project uses technology to increase reading ability in students who are reading below grade level. Through the use of Reading Pens, students are able to read independently during in-class reading sessions several times a day. The pens' "scan-see-hear" technology helps to strengthen the students' basic reading skills. The students' success at independent reading builds self-esteem and helps them perform increasingly better in other areas of their daily lives.

Sandra Campbell (2003)

Tequestra Trace Middle
Weston, FL

Campbell's "Hands on the Future" project is designed to provide a career exploration opportunity for special education students by offering hands-on job training activities. Students can work with a series of structured career activities and perform real tasks of trained workers in each career using actual tools, equipment and materials. They learn a variety of jobs that expand their experience through exposure to non-traditional careers. Hands on the Future supports classroom learning by promoting the application of reading, math and other classroom skills. In addition, the program encourages independence and responsibility and helps students work toward becoming productive citizens.

Sara Chang (2003)

Pineview Elementary School
Tallahassee, FL

Chang's "From One Homeland to Another: Comparing Endangered Species" project helps ESOL students learn about their new home (North Florida) by linking their study to their native countries. During the course of the project, the students study both the endangered manatee of North Florida and a specific endangered species from their country of origin. They conduct research through reading, videos and the Internet, compile their data into a report, and present their findings at the HuManatee Festival in May 2004. The project helps students improve their English proficiency in speaking, writing, reading and listening. At the same time, it affirms the students' heritage while connecting their learning to their newly adopted home of North Florida.

Debbie Fischer (2003)

Northeast High School
St. Petersburg, FL

Fischer's "Marketing the Viking Branch" project aims to increase financial literacy while giving students real-world job experience. Through this program, students are responsible for the day-to-day operation of a branch of the Pinellas County Teachers Credit Union (PCTCU) inside the high school. The students also must market the branch to the entire student population, parents and staff. The program gives students the opportunity to train with professionals and to practice their money management and communication skills. Meanwhile, students learn the importance of understanding financial information, and parents have the opportunity to open accounts for their children at the PCTCU Viking Branch.

Marina Golden (2003)

Miami Edison Senior High School
Miami, FL

Golden's "ISSCT Club - Business Project" trains students to run a school-based business and fosters entrepreneurship among the club members. The students are opening "The Patty Shop," which will sell Jamaican patties to students and staff at an affordable price. By training with business professionals and the local Chamber of Commerce, the students - many of them from Haiti - learn how to start and operate their own business. Each student has a role in running The Patty Shop, from advertising to bookkeeping, and they are encouraged to develop their own business plans for the future.

Toni Koy (2003)

Wynnebrook
West Palm Beach, FL

Koy's "Writing Resource Center" project motivates students to write by making the process meaningful and fun. The Resource Center is equipped with puppets that teachers can use to bring writing lessons to life. The center also is stocked with funky pens, colored paper, stickers and more to allow students to individualize their writing assignments. Students and staff are encouraged to use their creativity and imagination in all aspects of their writing. In addition, parents are able to borrow materials from the center in order to help their children's writing at home.

Kimberley Mogilevsky (2003)

Freedom Shores Elementary
Boynton Beach, FL

Mogilevsky's "What's Poppin'? - Small Business Run by Students" is a small popcorn business run by third grade students that will be put into practice and reinforce many aspects of mathematics and language arts that will be learned in class. Students will individually fill out job applications and interview for positions within the "company." Then as a class, students develop an advertising campaign by creating posters, writing letters to local newspapers, producing and starring in a commercial for in-house viewing, and placing an ad in the school newspaper. The goal of this program is to teach and reinforce counting, adding, subtracting, graphing and identifying coin and dollar amounts. Students learn math and language arts skills as well as build self-confidence and self-esteem.

Steven Noll (2003)

Sidney Lanier School
Gainesville, FL

Noll's "Digitized Literacy" project uses technology in a variety of ways to increase literacy in a population of at-risk learners. Using computers, digital cameras, switches and a newly developed device called a Bookworm, students of all ages and abilities are involved in reading and literacy. The program makes use of adaptive technology to involve students who cannot read in the traditional sense of the word. For example, Bookworm makes use of auditory and visual strengths and uses switches to assist students who cannot physically turn book pages. This exciting and innovative technology provides a curriculum built around the individual needs of each student.

Jean O'Quinn (2003)

Sherwood Elementary
Melbourne, FL

O'Quinn's "The Dream Team, Parents + Students + Teachers = Winners" literacy project devotes 30-minutes of each school day to students' immersion in literature. Teachers and classroom volunteers conference with the students during the reading time to track reading goals and literacy progress. Students "go shopping" in the morning to select the books they will read at school and take home for homework. Students read, analyze and interpret literature and are able to recognize and understand the use of literary elements such as character, setting, plot and theme. Parents are prepared to assist students in developing their literacy skills.

Becky Peltonen (2003)

Oscar Patterson Elementary School
Panama City, FL

Peltonen's "Hold on Tight to Hands-On Science" project creates a lab space dedicated to scientific exploration for students in grades K-5. Through hands-on experiments, students learn to collect, question, compile and organize data. One project example is a partnership with local scientists to study a species of crawfish on the Florida threatened species list. Students research causes of the creature's habitat depletion and possible places in the county for redistribution. These exciting and intriguing scientific collaborations and discussions increase family involvement in education and encourage students to pursue careers in the areas of science, mathematics and engineering.

Kimberly Rhoden (2003)

Sawgrass Elementary
Sunrise, FL

Rhoden's "Acts of Kindness: A Winning Enterprise" program teaches students about community involvement and giving, along with the concept of business economics.
Students select, produce and market a custom-made project for a "Holiday Bizarre" to benefit needy children and their families. Classrooms are transformed into innovative small businesses and students, teachers and parents assume the roles of managers, laborers, marketing experts and consumers. Students learn to be young entrepreneurs and explore real life decision making and problem solving as they work to gather resources and produce quantities of a useful, original holiday items to be marketed to their peers and parents. Students use the profits earned to purchase holiday toys and gifts for needy children and families in their community.

Rene Rodrigue (2003)

Riviera Middle School
Miami, FL

Rodrigue's "School to Life Wellness Program" is designed to improve the lifetime wellness skills of middle school students with disabilities through physical activity and fitness. This program uses aerobic fitness equipment at the school in the Adaptive Physical Education Program and is reinforced with visits to a local fitness facility. Through helping students master various physical activities, the program encourages fitness and the development of motor skills. Psychological benefits associated with this elevated physical activity include an increase in mental focus, self-esteem, self-confidence and positive body image, and a decrease in stress, anxiety and depression.

Paula Sanders (2003)

Nob Hill Elementary
Sunrise, FL

Sanders' "The Nob Hill Hogwarts Lab" project uses the Harry Potter books as a springboard to create a stimulating, hands-on science lab in the school. Students conduct experiments that tie back into the Hogwarts theme (i.e., Professor Sanders' Herbology Class for plant study), which helps them become engaged in the learning process and retain the information longer. In addition, they are able to apply and connect the concepts they learn in class to the outside environment. This project also brings students together with members of the community (who donate supplies) and gets their families involved by having parents volunteer in the science lab.

Stephen Schiff (2003)

Poinciana Elementary
Boynton Beach, FL

Schiff's "Astronaut Quest: A Space Shuttle Simulator" project gives students insight into what it really takes to be a part of the Space Shuttle program. Using math, science and technology skills, students learn to solve real world problems that astronauts face on every mission. Students, parents and teachers construct a full-size simulator of the space shuttle flight deck, which is used for simulated missions that teach the students various aspects of space exploration. Through this project students come to realize that the mathematics, science and technology learned at school are true knowledge that can be applied in their daily lives and the jobs of tomorrow.

Lisa Turner (2003)

Bagdad Elementary School
Bagdad, FL

Turner's "Bagdad History: From lumber to dumplings" is a living history documentary program of the Bagdad, Fla., Historic District. Bagdad, listed in the National Register of Historical Places, began as a lumber mill town in the mid-1800s. Historical interpreters in period dress will present the documentary. Interpreters include Bagdad Elementary students, teachers and local members of the Village Preservation Association. Teachers will select locations, organize production and guide and direct students in script writing, performing and videotaping, enhancing learning skills and building a solid understanding of, and interest in, history. The program's primary objective is to produce a resource for teaching Bagdad history in the elementary school and in local museums.

Cheryl Watts-Plasencia (2003)

Oriole Elementary
Lauderdale Lakes, FL

Watts-Plasencia's "Take Notice" project enables students to improve their reading and math skills through decoding and reading music. The project uses dry-erase boards, markers, music software and world-music drumming instruments as well as woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. After using these objects during classroom instruction, students give performances to demonstrate what they have learned. Students actively encourage parents and community to become involved by interviewing them for possible guest performances. As the project's final step, students attend these performances, evaluate and critique the musicians, and supply the artists with feedback.

Cory Zigler (2003)

Highland Oaks Middle
No. Miami Beach, FL

Zigler's "Project SET HOME (Scientific Enrichment Through Hands-On Manipulatives and Experiments)" presents various aspects of science to students by developing and organizing a functional science lab that stresses hands-on methods. Students are active participants in constructing a science lab, and are involved in every step of the process, from selecting and implementing materials to the actual setup up of the lab. The project encourages and motivates students to become active learners in classroom and in school-related activities such as the Science Fair and the Invention Fair. The lab is staffed and open before and after school so that students who need additional support have access to the help they need.

Pam Haley (2002)

Deerfield Beach High School
Deerfield Beach, FL

Haley's "Project Yearbook" is a project in which limited English proficiency students incorporate photography, expository writing, interviewing, computer technology, and organizational skills to create personal yearbooks. Students write essays with subjects like My Favorite Teacher, My Favorite Class, and 20/20 Vision, compose their own school song, and create a cover page using computer graphics. At the end of the project, the three most creative yearbooks are published by the school's Communication Magnet Program. The project not only enhances the students' English skills but also provides an opportunity for creative expression and communicative practice.

Robert Hernandez (2002)

Ormond Beach Middle School
Ormond Beach, FL

Hernandez' "Science Animation Workshop" is a project that combines the disciplines of science, art, and technology. Through the workshop, students create interactive animated compact discs that depict the more difficult-to-understand topics in chemistry, biology, and physics. Science topics are selected to correspond with statewide objectives that all Florida students must master before graduation. In addition to providing struggling students another science resource from which to study, the project gives participating students hands-on experience in animation technology and promotes the mastery of subjects that comes from conveying that knowledge to others.

Julie Poth (2002)

Pinellas County Schools
St. Petersburg, FL

Poth's "Top Notch Bird Watch" is an interdisciplinary project run in conjunction with Cornell University and the University of Florida that allows students to contribute to the scientific understanding of the natural world with an emphasis on ornithology. As part of the project, students throughout the district venture to Boyd Hill Nature Park - a 700-acre nature preserve - to identify birds, ask scientific questions, collect and analyze data, and publish findings, art, and stories in the national student newspaper Birdscope. This project allows students to practice research and analysis skills and gives them an opportunity to be part of real scientific research through the art of bird watching.

Tara Raines (2002)

Ramblewood Middle School
Coral Springs, FL

Raines' "Everyone is Unique" project allows 8th-grade students to explore the world of genetics and become familiar with the DNA molecule by use of photomicrographs, videos, and kinesthetic, visual, and interpersonal learning styles. During the project, students compare common traits and expected and observed results using bean color to predict the probability of gene combinations, create a 3-D DNA model, and determine polygenic inheritance by graphing the height of each student. Through these hands-on experiments, students learn the structure and function of DNA and gain an understanding of inherited diseases and traits, and the evolution of organisms.

Joseph Underwood (2002)

Miami Senior High School
Miami, FL Underwood's "Don't Be Stupid…Don't Do Drugs" program, brings television production, music production, and law magnet students together to collaborate in the creation of public service announcements (PSAs) that encourage other students to steer clear of drugs. Working with and learning from law, medical, and entertainment professionals, the students record interviews and research, write, edit, film, score, and package videos to use as PSAs and distribute to students. As well as giving students practical experience in video production, the project allows students to assist law enforcement efforts in educating youth on the dangers of drug use in an eye-catching format that appeals to their peers.

Frank Anderson (2001)

Lakewood Ranch High School
Bradenton, Fla.

Anderson's "Winnie the Pooh and Shakespeare Too!" project, created in conjunction with elementary school teacher Andrea Anderson, involves high school seniors becoming reading mentors for local kindergarten through second-grade students. The teenagers create books for the youngsters that explore subjects like language, math, social studies, science, and the arts. Books and related learning activities are presented at the elementary schools by the older students. In addition to developing writing, organizational, and presentational skills in the teenagers, the project fosters appreciation for literature in both groups – all within an environment that enhances interpersonal communication and teamwork.

Shannon Churms (2001)

Osteen Elementary School
Osteen, Fla.

Churms' "Back to Nature" project is an interactive outdoor science classroom that gives pre-K through fifth-grade students opportunities to experience nature in hands-on ways. Led by Churms and five others, the project is located on an oak hummock on the school's campus, where students study indigenous animal and plant life. The project includes bat and frog houses, bird and squirrel feeders, butterfly platforms, brush piles to attract insects and burrows, and a greenhouse. In a variety of ways, the project teaches the young students to appreciate the natural diversity of eastern Florida while reinforcing key concepts in the curriculum.

Norma Llorca (2001)

Banyan Elementary School
Sunrise, Fla.

Llorca's "Si, Señor!" project uses music, dance, and technology to teach Spanish to elementary school students. Students learn Spanish songs created for the Broward County foreign-language TV program, Saludos, and copy song lyrics into their Spanish journals. Younger students draw pictures that interpret the music. Students then add dance to the mix and later use a computer to draw pictures of their newly learned Spanish words. The program is not only valuable to English-speaking students as a way to learn a new language, but also to Spanish-speaking students who gain a measure of admiration from their fellow students as they help them learn.

Deborah Walther (2001)

Jay High School
Jay, Fla.

Walther's "Our Town" project is designed to foster civic pride and create a bond between students and the community through art and writing. As part of the project, students research the history of Jay – a small agricultural city in northwest Florida. Students then create original works of art, such as paintings, sculptures, and pottery, that illustrate the rich history of their town. Other students write and publish short stories and poems about the town. The works are then put on display for all the town to see. Some works are incorporated into calendars and made into postcards for sale. The project gives students new insight and renewed pride in their community as they learn more about it.

Michael Berg (2000)

Lake Worth Community Middle School
Lake Worth, FL

Berg's "Share a Family, Share a Culture" project helps develop students' appreciation of geography and cultures from around the world and increase parental involvement in the school. Two-week sections are devoted to cultures representing the class' diverse makeup, including African American, Latin American, Caribbean, and Asian. Sections involve hands-on activities that heighten student awareness of the featured culture, such as map and flag construction and ethnic food preparation. Sections culminate in "cultural feasts" that include family members who share aspects of their culture.

Angela Butler (2000)

Lincoln Elementary School
Plant City, FL

Butler's "Scrapbook Scribes" project involves students creating scrapbooks designed to reflect their individuality. In the books, students keep a record of their school experiences – activities, trips, details about their friends and "school family" – and illustrate them with photographs they take themselves. Most of the students are at risk and live in single-parent families or with a guardian. By recording memories and feelings, they find expression and help build self-esteem and a sense of belonging. In the process, writing is improved and evaluated for effectiveness.

Ashley Kesterson (2000)

Holley-Navarre Middle School
Navarre, FL

Kesterson's "Travel Agent" project lets students act as agents and put together tours that are "sold" in exchange for aluminum cans. By receiving payment for the tours, students earn points that add up for an end-of-the-year "fun day." Tours consist of at least four destinations, a brochure, a price for the tour (in cans), an accounting system and payment plan, and a job for each member of the agency. Students work together to learn about faraway places and explore the value of recycling along the way.

Mary Mitchell (2000)

Palm Beach Lakes High School
West Palm Beach, FL

Mitchell's "Small Business Skills" project has students operating an actual embroidery business and soliciting customers from within the school and community. They gain experience in all aspects of production, including determining prices, advertising, creating schedules, taking orders, and making deliveries. Profits go back into the business to benefit future participants. In addition to employing basic writing, math, and communication skills, students acquire good work habits and gain experience to build upon in the future.

Barbara Ringenberger (2000)

Plantation Middle School
Plantation, FL

Ringenberger and Plantation Middle School's "Advanced Communication Skills" program involves course content not generally included in standard curricula. The program focuses on developing communication abilities in the areas of reading, writing, and public speaking. Classes revolve around themes such as the study of conflict resolution, space exploration, law, and concepts of free enterprise. The program not only increases the amount of challenging content to which middle school students are normally exposed, but also gives them increased opportunities to become effective communicators.

Rose Marie Walsh (2000)

Wingate Oaks Center
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Walsh's "Multi-Sensory Room" increases learning among autistic and profoundly mentally handicapped K-12 students by providing a place to improve attention behaviors, social interactions, and communication. Relatively new to the United States, sensory rooms are holistic in their approach and include relaxation music, visual stimuli, tactile objects, aroma-therapy, and various sensory motor features. By offering a safe and peaceful atmosphere that differs from other challenges in the daily lives of these students, the room helps decrease aggressive behaviors and develop appropriate and functional social skills.

Alex Waters (2000)

Mandarin High School
Jacksonville, FL

Waters' "Marine Habitat Restoration" project increases student knowledge about natural reef ecosystems and lets them coordinate materials and community resources to help the local marine environment. The first goal is to construct artificial reef modules to enhance the reef system in the waters off Jacksonville; the second is to collect underwater data to be used by the state of Florida in fishery management programs. Students learn basics of water quality analysis and fish identification, and the constructed reef serves as a unique research tool for other schools in the area.

Douglas Hyman (1999)

Coral Reef Senior High School
Miami, FL

Hyman's "Water Resources Engineering Math" project helps students develop their science and math skills through direct study of the restoration of the Everglades in Florida. Students study hydraulic systems, flood routing and groundwater kinetics in addition to gathering and presenting the data they receive. The students also learn to work with the agencies that were involved in restoration of the Everglades.

Apryle Jackson (1999)

Neptune Middle School
Kissimmee, FL

Jackson's "Time Capsule" project teaches students the history of ancient civilizations through a number of hands-on projects. Students research different aspects of these cultures and the lasting contributions made to our modern cultures. At the end of the project, students present their findings at a spring festival, which the entire community is encouraged to attend.

Andrea Jorgensen (1999)

Atlantic Community High School
Delray Beach, FL

Jorgensen's "Belarus Video" Project helps students learn about the lives of students in other countries. A video is being filmed that depicts the daily life of a student in Minsk, showing the challenges the student faces, his goals, and relationships with others. The American students develope their own questions for the student as well. The project helps provide insight into the differences and similarities shared by all the students.

Sandy Melillo (1999)

Northeast High School
Oakland Park, Fl

Melillo's "NETV Community Connection" program gives students an opportunity to develop their own community-based TV programs that air on local cable channels. The students are involved in every aspect of the development process. They write scripts, film and edit footage and complete all other tasks required to put their shows on the air. Through the program, the students develop technical, communication, and organizational skills.

Susan Shepard (1999)

Roosevelt Middle School
West Palm Beach, FL

Shepard's "DNA" project was created from her student's interest in why DNA is so important. The students learn about genetics and how hair and eye color is based on parents' genes. Students also use DNA evidence to solve a simulated crime. The final section allows students to look at the human genome project and discuss the ethical issues surrounding genetic engineering.

Carol Wilson (1999)

Sandpiper Elementary
Sunrise, FL

Wilson's "Switched on Empathy" project brings 60 gifted students together to build simple adaptive switches to modify toys for students with various disabilities at a nearby pre-school. The students also write and illustrate books for the younger students. The students learn problem-solving and communication skills, while developing an appreciation for the challenges that disabled students face.

Rise Yevelson (1999)

Hallandale Adult Community Center
Hallandale, FL

Yevelson's "Teen Parent Symposium" project gives teen parents an opportunity to develop important life skills through the planning and implementation of a conference with other teen parents. Students participate in every aspect of the conference, from the planning phase to a wrap-up and evaluation session. The students develop decision-making, communication and improved parenting skills.

Gerald Crocilla (1998)

Lake Worth High School
Lake Worth, FL

Crocilla's Trojan House project taught students vocational skills in a hands-on environment. Using a run down building, students learned plumbing, carpentry, electrical and other skills, while they renovated a three bedroom house for a family in the city. The training the students received will assist them in transitioning into an apprenticeship program.

Beth Davis (1998)

Jack D. Gordon Elementary
Miami, FL

Davis' program, Kids 4 Kids, involved a variety of outreach programs by elementary students to homeless children, children in protective custody, and children afflicted with HIV and AIDS. Outreach efforts ranged from providing backpacks with basic school supplies, becoming pen pals with children living in shelters, and developing activity packets for hospitalized children in conjunction with holidays to serving as ambassadors to a local news station on topics related to children's issues.

Linda Lewis (1998)

Wyomina Park Elementary
Ocala, FL

Lewis' Born to Read, program was designed to promote literacy in students and to provide them with literature in their homes. Everyday during the morning announcements, the principal would read the names of the children with birthdays that day, and they would be invited to come to the office and pick out a book which they could take home with them.

Sharon Marsh (1998)

Grove Park Elementary
Orange Park, FL

Marsh's project M.A.R.S.H. taught students about the ecosystem of local marshlands. Small groups of students visited the marsh and brought their findings back to the school, which they presented by recreating the marsh in their classroom. Students from other classes were then invited to the classroom to explore the marsh through a number of hands-on learning experiences.

James McGinn (1998)

DeBary Elementary School
DeBary, FL

McGinns' project, The Principal's Regal Readers, helps foster a love of reading in young students. By sharing the duty of reading, students learned how to listen to adults and other children read, while they learned to read out loud to others. In addition, parents were invited to attend the readings, helping build a stronger relationship between the school and families.

Catherine Miller (1998)

Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts
West Palm Beach, FL

Miller's project, Science Hands-On Lab, goes one step farther in teaching children how to grow plants in a classroom. By giving students a small plot of land outside their classroom, students learned how to grow a number of plants, and because the soil they were using was poor, they also learned how to mix in different nutrients, seeing which ones worked best to help their plants grow.

William Pugh (1998)

Englewood High School
Jacksonville, FL

Pugh's High School Self Study Project taught students how to use the latest in computer publishing and multimedia programs to produce the school's self-study report. By using the computer programs and other audio and visual equipment, combined with extensive research that the students conducted, they will put together a multimedia presentation which the school will use as its self-study report.

Phyllis Sherman (1998)

Fort King Middle School
Ocala, FL

Sherman's project produced a multicultural historical documentary of Marion County, Florida, with the students doing the research for the film. Through a wide variety of research methods, students collected written, pictorial, and oral histories of the people that made the county what it is today. In addition to the research skills, they also learned the rich and diverse cultural history of their county.

Kenneth Weemhoff (1998)

Spanish River Community High School
Boca Raton, FL

Weemhoff's Artificial Reef Construction and Deployment Project taught students how to build and deploy an artificial reef. Students learned about the importance of reefs to the underwater ecosystem and about the life it supports. In the following years, new students will return to the reef to study whether or not it has been effective.

Thomas Wetzl (1998)

South Fork High School
Stuart, FL

Wetzl's Buddies to the Disabled joined photography students with disabled students to produce a resume for the disabled student and a narrative of their experience in the production of the resume. Photography students learned the skills they needed to produce a good journalistic story and how to incorporate photography into it. They also gained a perspective into the life of a person who lives with a disability.

Holly Cahill (1997)

Belleview High School
Belleview, FL

Cahill's project allows students to have a hands-on opportunity to integrate cell biology with the biotechnology of tissue culture -- cloning. Students challenge themselves by mastering the sterile techniques and methodologies needed in tissue culture. They learn to keep lab journals and complete lab progress reports that are graded for scientific thought, punctuality, neatness, thoroughness of data collection, and depth analysis.

Nancy Gold (1997)

Immokalee TeenAge Parenting Program
Immokalee, FL

Gold's project works with teenage parents to reduce the educational at-risk status of their children, promotes parent-child bonding, increases the parent's self-confidence and gives parents and opportunity to explore several career opportunities. Parents receive and produce children's books and are taught reading skills which they can utilize as they interact with their children.

Jose Maldonado (1997)

Specialized Development Center South
Miami, FL

Maldonado's project involves the development of a Japanese style garden for severely emotionally disturbed/educable mentally handicapped elementary students. The project incorporates the principles of botany, horticulture, aquatic life, ecology, and other environmental issues. Students are evaluated for gained knowledge, increased program participation, improved attendance, and accumulated community service hours.

Denise McKinley (1997)

Longwood Elementary School
Shalimar, FL

McKinley's "Wee-Deliver" project involves a student-centered postal system. Students apply basic skills that they will encounter in the real-world, such as addressing envelopes, using the mail system, writing a letter, using punctuation appropriate for letters, locating street addresses, and using zip codes. Approximately 600 students write at least one or two letters per week.

Cynthia Pelosi (1997)

Oak Park School
Sarasota, FL

Pelosi's project, On the Road to Work, is a pre-vocational program for 5th-7th grade, severely emotionally disturbed students. Students are taught the importance of developing work habits such as attendance, arriving on time, and appropriate dress to help prepare them for potential jobs in floral design, culinary arts, retail management and video production.

Amy Poole (1997)

Holley Navarre Middle School
Navarre, FL

Poole's project is an interdisciplinary, multimedia learning experience about the causes and effects of hurricanes. Students build model houses, create animated hurricanes, research past hurricanes and actually track the course of a mock hurricane as it comes through their area. Working with local police and fire departments and the American Red Cross, students receive a practical learning experience on how to prepare for a hurricane.

Janna Blanton (1996)

Beggs Educational Center
Pensacola, FL

Blanton created a student-run, local television program called "Working Wise." Alternative education students participated in every aspect of production ranging from the operation of the cameras to writing and acting in this situation comedy. Students gained insight into the entertainment business and an understanding of work ethic. Originally initiated to increase school attendance, the program surpassed the expectations.

Judy Fasanello (1996)

Clearview Elementary School
St. Petersburg, FL

Fasanello's Global Village program provided the technology and the curriculum for learning how to access information via the Internet, organize it, and communicate it through a multimedia presentation. The program helped students with reading and critical thinking, writing and problem solving, and communication skills.
Visit Judy Fasanello's home page.

Elizabeth Harris (1996)

Nease High School
St. Augustine, FL

Harris' Latin American studies program taught students Spanish, introduced them to the world of international business, and helped develop a sense of global awareness. The objective of the program was to introduce students to the importance Latin American culture has on Florida and its industries. Students obtained this through study abroad programs, internships, job shadowing, participation in Model United Nations, and by working and volunteering in the community.

Cynthia Jesup (1996)

Samsula Elementary School
New Smyrna Beach, FL

Jesup's project utilized creativity to increase parental involvement in the education of their children. Through a series of parent/student Saturday art workshops, students in kindergarten through fifth grade were brought together with their parents to work side by side in an enjoyable setting. Students learned art skills while parents learned how art is closely tied to classroom areas of study through the use of vocabulary, new concepts, and history.

Gail McGoogan (1996)

Lakeview Elementary
St. Cloud, FL

McGoogan's Eco-Aware program provided students the opportunity to conduct research in environmental areas they helped plan, construct, and maintain. The innovative program incorporated cooperative learning, teaching across the curriculum, and community involvement.

Robert Snyder (1996)

American Senior High School
Miami, FL

Snyder is implementing a five-year plan that is changing a traditional, large, urban high school into a model for teacher leadership. The methodology includes technology, a collection of innovative student programs, and teacher training for improved classroom instruction.

Georgia

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Brenda Hill (2007)

Madison County Middle School
Danielsville, GA

The "Mustang Morning News" is a weekly news show that will be produced by seventh-grade journalism students at Madison County Middle School. The broadcast, which will air every Friday, will feature student news including academic programs, sports and extracurricular activities. Students on the news team will interview the student body, faculty, and staff to gather information for news stories. In addition to the newscast, students will reintroduce the school paper, the Mustang Mayhem. The newspaper will be run by journalism students in the sixth-grade. Both programs will allow over 400 journalism students to get hands-on experience with using digital video cameras, editing video, writing and editorial skills, public speaking, interviewing techniques and analyzing data from various school polls. Hill hopes that the "Mustang Morning News" and the Mustang Mayhem will keep students, faculty and staff informed about school news and will encourage the students to get more involved in academics, sports and other activities. Hill lives in Royston.

Gail Hudson and Jeanne Walker (2007)

Sprayberry High School
Marietta, GA

The "FIT (Freshmen in Transition)" program was started in January 2007 to assist ninth-grade students at Sprayberry High School who were in danger of failing the ninth grade. There were 76 students that needed help; however, the resources - teachers and classroom space - only allowed for one class. Hudson and Walker want to continue to expand on the scope of the program and study skills curriculum to assist students who are transitioning from middle school to high school. The students who will participate in this phase of the program will be chosen based on their scores on the eighth-grade competency test that is given to all Georgia students. The program includes academic planning, time management, organizational skills, test taking skills, goal setting and improved communication with parents and guardians. Ultimately, the program hopes to reduce the high school drop out rate at the school, increase rates of students applying to post-secondary institutions and ultimately graduating from those institutions, and to assist students in acquiring skills to successfully plan and achieve their educational, career and personal goals.

Gregory Marr (2007)

Mill Creek High School
Hoschton, GA

"Dynamic Learning Using a Dynamics Sensor System" is a program that will allow the student to become the teacher. Students in the Advanced Placement Physics class at Mill Creek High School will research, develop, test and implement their own laboratory activities using a wireless dynamic sensor system and required computer software. Through research and experimentation, students will do "field tests" in small groups where they will troubleshoot their own experimental procedures. They will be challenged to think critically and creatively, will get hands-on laboratory experience, and learn to collect data digitally. The final experiments will be developed into presentations including instructional videos and a digital lab manual for use by other physics faculty. Marr hopes that the experiments produced by his students will have a trickle-down effect and can benefit other students at the school and ultimately be shared via the Internet to schools around the world. Marr lives in Hoschton.

Antoinette McGlasker, Dean Brenda Emerson, Jason Butler, Woodsen Plummer, Danielle Armstrong, Barbara Napper and Selwyn Gill (2007)

DeKalb Early College Academy
Avondale Estates, GA

The "Leadership Out of Diversity Documentary Project" is a collaborative idea developed by McGlasker and her six colleagues. The award will allow DeKalb Early College Academy to acquire video and digital cameras, computer equipment and production resources to create an audio-visual documentary project on diversity that is generated by students. The diversity documentaries will focus on learning what factors create naturalized immigrant leaders and about the diasporas of various cultures. Students will conduct research focused on their own ethnicities by interviewing relatives and others who share their ancestry. They will read and discuss immigrant stories from several books including "Immigrant Voices" by Gordon Hunter. They will also use multimedia technology tools to create the videos. The goal is for students to show higher order learning skills, creative resources and literary enhancement and to use the footage they film to share lessons with others about diversity and leadership.

Carol Harless and Tommy Clay (2006)

DeKalb Early College Academy/Stone Mountain High School
Avondale Estates, GA/Stone Mountain, GA

Harless and Clay proposed a unique program, "Video Documentaries: A Journey Into Literature", in an effort to help students at Stone Mountain High School broaden their understanding of literary works by relating them to their contemporary context and historical background. Using computer editing stations and supporting materials, this program will allow students to design and create chronological multimedia video documentaries after reading the book Night by Elie Wiesel. Students will become immersed in the technological experience through an extensive editing process that includes developing a storyboard and script, importing video, and creating video effects. As a result of the initiative, students can gain an insightful understanding of history while working as a team to produce a finished product that extends beyond the school. Harless and Clay also propose a community-wide viewing with special recognition given to students based on a set of evaluation criteria. Harless resides in Marietta and Clay lives in Douglasville.

Billy Millican (2006)

Dade County High School
Trenton, GA

Bringing space exploration to the small town of Trenton has never been done before, especially by local students. Millican's physics students at Dade County High School will conduct the "Extraterrestrial Science Camp (E.T. Camp)" over five school days for two local elementary schools. Their goal is to align with NASA's vision of establishing exploration and research habitats in other parts of the solar system. The high school students will develop and teach state-mandated science lessons for the participating third-graders. They will also build a mock dome habitat for students to tour, as well as participate in a mock shuttle launch at the Challenger Center in Chattanooga, Tenn. During their time at the camp, the third-graders will complete multiple hands-on science lessons and build and launch a small rocket with their classmates. The goal is to pique young students' interest in advanced science classes, as well as prepare them to excel on state-mandated tests. Millican resides in Trenton.

April Jordan (2005)

Forest Park Middle School
Forest Park, GA

Many of the over 700 students from Forest Park Middle school live in the midst of gang violence, drugs and peer pressure. Inspired by a popular Tupac Shakur poem, “ the Rose that Grew from the Concrete,” Jordan created the “Concrete Rose” program to serve as a platform of self-expression for the student population. Concrete Rose will be the school’s first literary magazine and the first publication in the county to be written by and for students. A staff of students will write all of the content and each issue will be targeted to the unique interests of the student body. Staff members will take ownership over their contributions, enhance language skills and provide an opportunity for students to articulate thoughts that many feel uncomfortable sharing in the classroom. The grant money will go towards the development and implementation of the newsletter. The program will help to bridge the divide between students, teachers and parents and build a student support network through literature. Jordan lives in Stockbridge.

Kathleen Kohl (2005)

Grovetown Middle School
Grovetown, GA

Kohl’s program encompasses several small projects. Using a blank book theme, she gets the interest of her students by developing a great theme and a moral to the story. The theme for this year’s project is “The Science of Detectives.” By using science, Kohl’s project will show students how to predict the weather, warn people of earthquakes, find cures, discover new medicines and even explore space. The second part of the project will be “The Jason Project.” the students will gain valuable research and presentation skills by working hand in hand with Dr. Robert Ballard, a guest researcher and his team of scientists from NASA. Kohl lives in Grovetown.

Wynn Mott (2005)

Woody Gap School
Suches, GA

Mott’s winning program idea, “Woody Gap’s Publishing Center,” involves the creation of a publishing center that will be housed in the school library. One of the school’s primary goals is to increase the language arts scores on standardized tests for its students. The program hopes to help achieve those objectives. In the program, older students and community volunteers will help younger students write and illustrate their own books. In turn, those books will be published at the center and stored in the library for future use. The older students and volunteers will also help the students with the entire process which will include coming up with a story idea, writing the text, designing the cover, printing and binding the books and reading the finished product. The program was designed to inspire the younger students to read by giving them a sense of ownership, thus enhancing their passion for learning. The program also gives the older students an opportunity to mentor. Mott lives in Suches.

Susan Cottingham (2004)

Grovetown Middle School
Grovetown, GA

Cottingham’s project, “Web Quests,” challenges students to complete self-directed science learning through a series of research projects that study cells, the human body and insects. Students utilize the school’s computer labs and word processing facilities to conduct and compile their research, and then present their completed projects to the class. The independently produced projects capture each student’s creativity, as different projects include models illustrating the different parts of a cell, posters and flipbooks outlining various parts of the human body, and models of unique insects. Students improve their observational and analytical skills as they study the various scientific concepts and methods. The use of computer technology enables the projects to be completed with a professional presentation, and provides the students with knowledge they can transfer to their future studies and careers.

Meredith Watson (2004)

Indian Creek Middle School
Covington, GA

Watson’s “Compass to Computers” school mapping project teaches students about real world applications of science and technology through the use of global positioning system (GPS) receivers. Students use the GPS receivers to generate spatial and blueprint data of locations in and around the school and campus, and then create individualized digital maps based on the data they define and record. In conjunction with the school’s technology department, the maps then are posted on the school’s Web site for access by students, parents and teachers. The project helps students understand how the use of a global technology can have a local application in their lives and community. Students also learn about the importance of quality control, as the accuracy of their initial data collection, mathematical calculations and data entry directly impact the success of their final products.

Margo Williams (2004)

DeKalb International Center
Atlanta, GA

Williams’ “Learning English Through Literature” project introduces English language learners to literature while building English vocabulary. More than 75 percent of the school’s students are learning English as a second language. The project provides each learner with a book in both English and his/her first language. Each week the class reads the selected title in both languages and discusses the characters and vocabulary, and participates in hands-on learning activities. The students then keep the books for their own personal library and can positively assist siblings and family members by reading at home.

Jennifer Doss (2003)

Alexander II Magnet School
Macon, GA

Doss' "Making Math Matter" project provides teachers with the materials they need to support student learning by adequately stocking the Math Resource Lab and providing regular after-school tutoring opportunities for struggling students. The program also provides workshops, check-out materials for parents and a summer learning program that gives children extra support and encourages them to aim high. These additional opportunities positively affect children's understanding, performance and attitudes about math. The project represents a renewed focus on hands-on teaching by extending efforts beyond the classroom to ensure the academic needs of students are met.

Scott Frerking (2003)

Springs Academy
Conyers, GA

Frerking's "Creating Math Mentors" program provides free peer tutoring services while helping students improve their math grades. The project teaches students how to become math mentors and how to use those skills to teach their peers. Mentors are trained to use non-traditional means to get the information across in a way that motivates the learner and causes math skills to "stick." Appropriate times and dates are selected for these mentors to be available for students in need of math tutoring. The mentors contact local schools and teachers to promote the program and locate additional students in need of math tutoring. Mentors also create brochures designed to publicize the program.

Christian Laster (2003)

Russell Elementary School
Smyrna, GA

Laster's "Russell Sci-Tech Safari Summer Program" gives students the opportunity to pursue their interest in science outside of the classroom. During the summer before they enter fifth grade, students participate in a variety of field experiments in places like barrier islands, wetlands and caves, as well as their own backyards. They collect data and samples, and interpret and classify their findings. To further improve the experience, Laster is integrating the program's scientific process with more technology. The goal is to help students meet their full science potential, as well as foster a sense of discovery that spreads to other areas of the school curriculum.

Mattie Brown (2002)

Jordye Bacon Elementary
Hinesville, GA

Brown's "Trans-Generational Learning Exchange" brings second- through fourth-graders and seniors into the classroom together as co-learners. The seniors spend two full days per week in the classroom as students with the focus on reading, math, and technology. Each senior is assigned to a pod with three or four students for a period of four weeks, after which they rotate to work with a new pod. The project provides a realistic environment for seniors to learn while building a support system for students through caring adult models who can stress the importance of education. Students also realize that learning is a lifelong process and will see the seniors as a vital link to the past and future.

Mary Filko (2002)

Oak Grove Elementary
Peachtree City, GA Filko's "Science in the Palm of Our Hands" puts hand-held computers in the hands of third- to fifth-grade students to collect and analyze scientific data in the field. In one activity, students visit two lakes, two ponds, a creek, and a wetland to take temperature readings and measure pH and oxygen levels to gauge overall water quality. The data is transferred to computers at school for further analysis and report writing. Findings are published on a student Web site and shared with the local water system, an environmental group, and the EPA. Through this, students gain a better understanding of science concepts and deepen their appreciation for local ecology, history, and geography.

DeAnn Peterson (2002)

Avondale High School
Avondale Estates, GA Peterson's "Accessibility Assessment/Engineering and Human Factors" is a project designed for 11th- and 12th-grade physics students combining engineering concepts and the variables of human factors to make their high school facilities more accessible to the disabled. Students survey disabled students, try to negotiate the building themselves in wheelchairs, use surveying equipment to determine ramp slopes and elevation rises, and then design modifications to the building, taking fiscal and engineering constraints into account. The result is a chance to apply what they've learned, greater appreciation of the obstacles faced by the disabled, and easier access for disabled students.

Mary Brantley (2001)

Milford Elementary School
Marietta, Ga.

Brantley's "Summer Reading Program" gives at-risk and economically disadvantaged K-5 students opportunities to improve reading during the summer. Books are made available to students to check out weekly and are delivered to their homes by teachers from the school. Since the students have limited access to quality reading materials, the project helps prevent a decline in reading ability that can result from breaks in schooling. Once the school year begins, the students participate in accelerated reading tests to gauge the benefits of their continuous summer reading.

Barbara Webb (2001)

D.H. Stanton Elementary School
Atlanta, Ga.

Webb's "Beyond the Boundaries" project taps students' interest in aviation and space exploration to promote science and math, while integrating basic instruction in English, social sciences, geography, music, and physical education. Through a variety of activities, experiments, and guest speakers, students learn how science, math, and other disciplines come together to fuel space exploration. The project also provides students an opportunity to work in partnership with scientists, mathematicians, and engineers as they discover the practical applications of the lessons they learn in class.

Karen Yarbrough (2001)

Mount Zion Christian Academy
Jonesboro, Ga.

Yarbrough's "Learning Through Serving" project is a year-long service program in which students "adopt" a group of people and help to meet their needs. Groups assigned to each grade level include: nursing home residents, widows and widowers, hospital patients, homeless families, and prisoners. Younger students engage in activities such as making gifts and cards for nursing home residents, while older students participate in running a clothes resource for the needy or feeding the inner-city homeless. The project gives students the opportunity to develop a relationship with people in need and learn the value of giving their time and effort to those less fortunate.

Leigh Medders (2000)

Marion County Elementary School
Buena Vista, GA

Medders' "Social Studies Culmination" project employs computer technology to help students learn first-hand about Social Studies. Assigned an e-mail "pen pal" from another state with whom they correspond weekly, students discuss set topics about the pen pal's home state (e.g., weather, landmarks, special celebrations). Students maintain a log of information attained, chart weather patterns on graphs, and report on their state every two weeks. In addition to gaining appreciation for social and geographical diversity, students get the exposure needed to help them become computer literate.

Nicholas Scheman (2000)

Riverside Military Academy
Gainesville, GA

Scheman's "RMA Environmental Group" is a hands-on, inquiry-based project that increases student awareness of the diversity and fragility of ecosystems. Students put chemistry and biology knowledge to use as they study a stream flowing through town and explore why the stream is healthy while a nearby lake is in distress. Students also create and manage a bog of endangered plants. The ultimate goal is an outdoor educational facility designed to share important environmental information with other RMA students and the community as a whole.

Dawn Schroeter (2000)

Austin Road Elementary School
Stockbridge, GA

Schroeter's "T.H.A.N.K.S." project (Technology Helping And Nurturing Knowledge in Students) helps Special Education students build academic and social skills by using video technology. By viewing video tapes of themselves and receiving positive reinforcement, learning-disabled students are shown ways to recognize strengths and weaknesses and monitor their own behavior. The tapes also help parents better assist their children at home by demonstrating teaching methods and skills used in the classroom.

Willene Agnew (1999)

Stephens County Middle School
Eastanollee, GA

Agnew's "The Preservers" program trains students in the techniques of transcription of documents dating from 1786 to 1945. The documents cover a variety of topics from personal letters to legal documents. A booklet is made of the transcribed documents to share with the school and the community. In addition to improved communication skills, students become much more aware of their community's history.

Cynthia Bryant (1999)

Franklin County Middle School
Carnesville, GA

Bryant's "LEGO(c) Model Building" Program project gives 12 intellectually challenged students a chance to work on developing lifelong skills through the use of LEGO(c) building systems. Students learn to follow instructions and use pictures to create a model of what they see, and some employ more complex systems to produce motorized models that simulate actual machines. Students also learn how to cooperate with each other and the teacher to complete their building projects.

Becky Flanigan (1999) Westover ComprehensiveHigh School Albany, GA Flanigan's "Community Heroes Book" project gives students the opportunity to produce a book chronicling heroes from the local community. Each student writes a two-page summary of an individual that has made a valuable contribution to the community. The students then use desktop publishing software to ready the book for publishing. Participating students are able to develop their writing and research skills through this project.

Letitia Glover (1998)

South Atlanta High School
Atlanta, GA

Glover's project, Isolating and Sequencing DNA gave students a chance to work with DNA in a true hands-on experiment instead of using models. Students in the study used saliva samples to fingerprint their own DNA, which was compared to that of the other students. By using the internet, students were able to compare their results with those of students throughout the world as well.

Teresa Granger (1998)

Fourth Street School
Athens, GA

Granger's Integrating Music into Learning project gave every student in the school a chance to incorporate music into their learning experience. Through participation in various performances, students learned skills which have helped them work together, perform in front of an audience, and plan their own performances.

Agerette Armstead (1997)

C.W. Hill Elementary School
Atlanta, GA

Armstead's project involves the development of a multimedia communications center for at-risk students. The primary focus of the center is to develop an academically-oriented World Wide Web site. Students use the experience of designing the World Wide Web site to increase their comprehension and attentiveness.

Jo Beth James (1997)

Royston Elementary School
Royston, GA

James' project is a continuation of a school yard wildlife habitat which now consists of a butterfly garden, rock wall, and historic trees. The project includes planting a bird garden and a recycling program where students use school and home waste to make compost for use in the habitat. Students learn how compost is made, how the environment can be saved by recycling, and how to care for the environment.

Jennifer Rowland (1997)

Hephzibah Middle School
Hephzibah, GA

Rowland's project involves the development of a school and community oriented interactive greenhouse. Students who are identified as at-risk are involved with construction, growth, maintenance and sales. Community members participate in construction, supplies, and support of plant sales.

Helen Vella (1996)

A.R. Johnson Health, Science, and Engineering Magnet School
Augusta, GA

Vella's project combined language arts, science, and social studies to provide ninth grade students an environmental lesson using the local river. The students collected water and tested the composition, observed the native fauna, documented the physical geography of the area, and became familiar with maps. The objectives were to apply principles learned in the conventional classroom as well as develop a respect for the earth and its ecosystem.

Teressa Watson (1996)

Ralph Johnson Bunche MIddle School
Atlanta, GA

Watson's "Leaders in the Hood" was a program for middle school students to help them reach their potential academically and as leaders. The program's first stage focused students' efforts on community service and involvement through volunteerism. The second stage was a peer leadership conference organized by students in the program for other middle school students. Students developed leadership skills, organizational skills, and communication skills.

Hawaii

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Betty Brask (2007)

Pukalani Elementary School
Pukalani, HI

The "Robotics is Elementary" program developed by Brask is designed to help organize Maui's first Junior FIRST LEGO League team with fourth-grade students at Pukalani Elementary School. She plans to implement an after-school robotics club that will create an environment where science and technology are celebrated and where students will dream of becoming science and technology heroes. Brask strongly believes that developing an interest in engineering and technology is important to the future of students. In addition to science and technology, the program focuses on building student's self-confidence, leadership and life skills. The initial robotics club will consist of eight students who will work in teams of four. They will meet once a week for an hour and will eventually work through 40 animated tutorials that will help them learn how to effectively build and program a fully-functioning robot. The goal of the program is for Brask's entire class of 30 students to be able to participate in the club. Brask lives in Pukalani.

Janel Horiuchi (2006)

Waipahu High School
Waipahu, HI

In the past, students have observed and analyzed the ecosystems by collecting data via temperature and pH balances which doesn't accurately determine the survival of an ecosystem. Horiuchi has developed the "Critical Analysis on Ecosystems" project to give 132 biology students a better understanding of how different factors play a role in the ecosystem. Students will understand the relationship between living organisms and their environment by creating a control group and an experiment group. Collecting data using computer sensors will determine changes in temperature, oxygen, nitrogen and potassium levels and enable students to draw solid conclusions about the ecosystem. Horiuchi's main goal is to help her students meet the standards given by the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards: Scientific Investigations and Organisms and the Environment. This project will not only give students hands-on experience to understanding why ecosystems survive or fail, but it will also reveal the importance of technology when gathering accurate data. Students will share their findings with parents, teachers and the community. Horiuchi resides in Kapolei.

Nau'ileiilima Murphy and Jade Bowman (2006)

Waimea Middle School
Kamuela, HI

Studies show that learning subjects in various modes encourages life-long learning. Murphy and Bowman decided to develop a project that will allow 100 eighth-grade students at Waimea Middle School to learn about underwater robotics. This project will improve an existing program called "Robotics & Electronics". The "A'ole Pau Ka 'Ike" project stresses that not all learning is acquired in a single place. This project will encourage students to become interested in marine Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Students will be exposed to the basic components of robotics and electronics by participating in a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) mission. Extensive knowledge of STEM will be achieved by students creating, constructing and programming an underwater ROV. Existing Robotics & Electronics elective courses will provide instruction and more understanding of ROV. Students will form groups to work on skill-building projects. They will later compete in a school competition and the winning team will advance to the regional MATE (Marine Advanced Technology) Center ROV competition. Murphy and Bowman reside in Kamuela.

Lynne Ajifu (2005)

Manana Elementary School
Pearl City, HI

Ajifu’s “Digital STARS” program, or Students together Achieving Results Spectacularly, allows students in grades 3-6 to develop and present a portion of school curriculum, social issue or contemporary topic by creating a digital media production. The students work in teams to research and present their topic of choice using the most practical media, including photos, slides and video. Students will present their digital media productions to students, teachers, parents and the community. By the end of the project, the students should have improved their critical thinking and problem solving skills, as well as succeeded in working in a team environment. Ajifu is a resident of Waipahu.

Valerie Delos Santos-Duarte (2004)

Saint Anthony Grade School
Wailuku, HI

Delos Santos-Duarte teamed up with fellow teacher Teri Tavares to create “Telling Our Stories,” a program designed to enhance the language and visual arts skills and social studies understanding of kindergarten through second grade students. Few children’s books exist that tell the story about the cultural reality of living in the Pacific, but “Telling Our Stories” allows children to write stories that incorporate the local and cultural experiences of their day-to-day lives. In getting started, the program encourages students to read several stories that are about daily life and told through the eyes of a child. This is complemented by classroom lessons on the basics of composing storybooks, such as the power of art and visual images. Finally, the students write and design their own stories, which are posted on the Internet for the local community and children around the world interested in learning more about the lives of children growing up in Hawaii.

Karen Morneau (2002)

McKinley High School
Honolulu, HI Morneau's

"A Literacy Plan" project introduces students to local literature, promotes reading, and inspires students to write in their own voice. To do this, local authors are invited to read to the class from their own works. Engaging the students in the story and its characters, the authors encourage students to finish the books on their own, and then return to discuss the book and help students with their individual journal writing projects. Additional local celebrities - from politicians and business leaders to skateboarders and surfers - are also invited to share their favorite books and describe how reading helped them succeed.

Alan Nakagawa (2001)

Honokaa High and Intermediate School
Honokaa, Hawaii

Nakagawa's "Looking at Science through the Arts" project engages students in scientific concepts through the art of glass blowing. Initially, students learn about the insulating properties of various materials by constructing a glass furnace, glass annealer, and blowpipe heater. They also learn about the melting point of various mixtures of glass as well as the chemical and physical changes that occur during the melting process. Students then move on to actual glass blowing, beginning with small bubbles, then creating their own works of art. The project allows students to see up close how gravity, motion, and air help in the creation of art.

Katherine Johnson (1999)

King Liholiho Elementary School
Honolulu, HI

Johnson's "Family Stories" project consists of historical narratives in which students or their relatives are featured characters in simple home adventures. Students write the stories with the assistance of parents or other adults. Children learn to appreciate their own heritage and develop respect for the cultural values and experiences of others.

Layla Dedrick (1998)

Ewa Beach Elementary
Ewa Beach, HI

Dedrick's 'Ai Pohaku Workshop project taught students how to carve their own pohaku ku'I 'ai, which is the traditional Hawaiian tool used to make poi. Once they had completed that, they were taught how to use it to make poi. During the project, students were required to make presentations which combined written, dramatic, artistic, and oral components, teaching students useful skills which they can use in other classes.

Leslie Skillings, Jr. (1997)

H.P. Baldwin High School
Wailuku, HI

Skillings' project incorporates computer modeling and systemic thinking in an ecological economics course. This curriculum blends interdisciplinary approaches, combining ecology, economics, population biology, thermodynamics, general systems theory, brain theory and total quality management, challenging students to examine new ways to explore existing paradigms.

Ruth Smith (1996)

Waikoloa Elementary School
Waikoloa, HI

Smith's project, the "Dome Home," involved the construction and maintenance of a 30-foot diameter geodesic dome that served as an on-campus greenhouse. Broken into two phases, the students first constructed the dome and then established a nursery and botanical garden. Her project emphasized the need for students to participate in science-related activities. They also gained other skills ranging from math to teamwork.

Idaho

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Lucy Wafwa (2008)

Vision Charter School
Caldwell, ID

Students at Vision Charter School will be introduced to something new when they return to school this fall. "The Eagle's Eye", a bimonthly, digital student news magazine will feature school happenings, individual classroom and student spotlights, student versions of "man-on-the-street" sound bites and 30-second-spot commercials about character traits such as honesty, integrity and respect. Wafwa's multimedia project will also capture scientific experiments, reenacted pieces of literature, social studies projects, field trips and dignitary visits. Students will work in cooperative groups so that each member can assume a production role. They will update the content and apprise the student body for school-related news twice a month. The goal of "The Eagle's Eye" is to promote creativity, news reporting, collaboration and the use of multimedia technology. Wafwa resides in Nampa.

Ron Harrelson (2007)

Lakes Middle School
Coeur d'Alene, ID

Harrelson and fellow teachers at Lakes Middle School created a Junior Engineering class to help with "Bridging the Gap" for their students and as a way to keep students interested in the areas of scientific research and engineering. The class bridges the gap between math and science and provides hands-on projects that complement curriculum that is taught in those subjects. Junior engineering incorporates computer literacy, scientific inquiry, project building and testing and physical science investigation that intertwine fun, competition and exciting activities for students. The simulated real world activities focus on creativity and problem solving as well as independent and teamwork learning. Students in the class will also improve their language skills as they present their results to others. Harrelson, who lives in Hayden, hopes that the program will provide his students with a level of technical literacy that is important in today's technology-rich society.

Bret Fowler (2006)

Caldwell High School
Caldwell, ID

Audio-assisted reading is said to tremendously increase the reading proficiency of all students, but there are currently no implemented audio reading programs for high school students in Caldwell. Fowler hopes to give 9th-12th-grade students at Caldwell High School, through the "Audibly Bookin' Literacy Project", an opportunity to improve their reading scores on the Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT). He also hopes to bring readers up to grade-level, and enhance the Advanced Placement curriculum. His project will encourage students to practice responsible utilization of technology in the library. This audio-book project will combine familiar technology and a much needed skill to help students reach achievement levels in reading. Six iPods, a Bose SoundDock and a nine-month subscription to Audible.com will be made available for use by 750 students. Fowler resides in Nampa.

Gloria Stumme (2006)

Sugar Salem High School
Sugar City, ID

Bringing drama as an art form to K-12 at-risk students is a position not often taken by teachers. Stumme's "Building Statues of Snow" program will give students a chance to be creative, participate in team-building exercises, and improve their core academic skills. The title of the program is taken from the theme of Sugar Salem High School's drama program and the quotation, "The actor is forever carving statues of snow". The idea for Stumme's program began as an offshoot of a theatre camp she and her students currently oversee for elementary and junior high school participants. The at-risk students that will be involved are exhibiting either academic or behavior issues. By including these youth, they can be stimulated and encouraged in nontraditional ways while working with diverse groups of other students. The camp will allow them to gain mentoring skills, take ownership of a project through theatre production, and build critical-thinking skills. Stumme resides in Sugar City.

Vana Richards (2005)

Kenneth J. Carberry Intermediate
Emmett, ID

Richards’ program, “Math and Science for Dessert,” is a part of the after school Discovery Club for 4th, 5th and 6th graders at his school. Since its start, the club has grown from 55 members to 95, plus middle and high school mentors. Members will assist guest hosts in teaching theme-based science/math activities, allowing families to reinforce their shared evening of learning. One of the activities will include Boise astronomers being invited to host a “star” party. The families will use NASA’s Hubble Deep Field Academy for investigation, build a telescope and receive a children’s book about stars to take home with their telescope. The “dessert” will be a star-shaped sugar cookie. The program will be open to all of Carberry’s families allowing parents to go home with easy activities they can use to build math and science skills with their children. Potentially 600 students (the entire student body) and their siblings will benefit from the program. Richards lives in Emmett.

Janice Green (Principal) (2004)

Gate City Elementary School
Pocatello, ID

As principal at Gate City Elementary, Green has helped organize the “Be Excited About Reading, or B.E.A.R. Club” program, which encourages teachers to explore new children’s literature. Meeting monthly after school hours to discuss pre-assigned books and share ideas about using those books in the classroom, the BEAR Club’s goal is to help provide a “literacy rich” classroom environment for students. Teachers in the program enjoy using the professional development time to collaborate on the best of children’s literature and discuss different techniques to enrich student learning through reading. A different chapter book and picture book are discussed each month and teachers take turns facilitating the discussions. The program plans to expand the school’s library of new children’s literature, ensuring that new books are available to students interested in reading.

Laura Johnson (2002)

Southside Elementary
Cocolalla, ID

Johnson's "Improving the Road to Literacy" addresses students' lack of access to books, promotes literacy, and curbs summer reading loss by implementing a summer reading program, a summer literacy camp, a free lending library, and after-school tutoring for struggling readers. Parents are enrolled as partners in the program through evening workshops to provide them with ideas to encourage reading at home. Videotapes showing students how to become better readers are also produced. This program and the partnership between parents and teachers combine to lay the foundation for a lifelong love of reading.

Paula Smith (2002)

Butte View Elementary School
Emmett, ID

Smith's "M&M Program" is a multi-sensory learning project designed to encourage students to use multiple senses in learning. As part of the project, math and alphabet boxes are filled with magnetic letters and numbers. The magnets are used on magnetic "word walls" and sometimes misspelled or incorrectly calculated, so that students can look up words or re-solve the solutions on their own. The multi-sensory elements of the program allow for increased participation and exploration by students, promoting successful learning. The creative items of the M&M Program provide opportunities for visual, tactile, and auditory learning.

Karen Harr (2001)

Lewis and Clark Middle School
Meridian, Idaho

Harr's "Be a Character" project is an intensive character education program that focuses on four areas: responsibility, respect, resilience, and relationships. The project, led by Harr and three others, is conducted in three phases. Phase I collects data from students and parents regarding the four character areas; Phase II promotes student achievement through a motivational assembly and publication of a pamphlet with defined expectations for school and home; Phase III incorporates the concepts further by concentrating on service learning, lunchtime character assemblies, and a student advisory group. While building character and life skills, the project unites the diverse student population and fosters positive interactions.

Jana DeBoard (2000)

Stidwell Elementary School
Sandpoint, ID

DeBoard's "C.A.R.E." (Children and Adults Reaching for Excellence) project designates a quiet space inside the Stidwell Learning Center in which volunteers tutor children. Available to all students, the tutorials provide a positive learning environment for improving reading, writing, and spelling skills. By working with adults one-on-one or in small groups, students receive instant feedback and individual instruction at their own learning levels, increasing skills and building on existing knowledge.

Jennifer Williams (2000)

Skyview High School
Nampa, ID

Williams' "Project Van Go" provides schools and rural communities with free hands-on workshops in art education. The outreach program is aimed at students, parents, and other teachers in remote areas, bringing art into the lives of many who would otherwise not have the exposure. Workshops may involve mask-making, murals, weaving, pottery, and batik. Lessons also include historical background and analysis of finished work. In addition, Skyview students travel as assistants, gaining the experience of engaging in the creative process with those in other towns and states.

Anne Heyrend (1999)

Ridge Crest Elementary
Blackfoot, ID

Heyrend and Matthews' "Wildflower Garden" project uses the native flora of Idaho to teach fourth grade students important learning skills such as data collection, research, analytical and communications skills. The students are growing a variety of wildflowers and study their growth. The wildflowers are then incorporated into the landscape design of the school.

Laurel Jensen (1998)

A.J. Winters Elementary
Montpelier, ID

Jensen's E-Mail Magic program united third grade students with senior citizens in their city. By sharing e-mail messages with seniors at the local senior center, students learned valuable computer and reading and writing skills while learning about people with whom they would normally not interact. The program also provided the seniors with a link to people outside of the center and allowed them to share lifetimes of experiences with the students.

Linda Kuharske (1998)

Ammon Elementary School
Idaho Falls, ID

Kuharske's project, Discovering America's Heritage, incorporates a large number of different subjects into the study of American history. Students learned about different ethnic groups and the contributions they made to different regions of the country during different historical periods. By incorporating a wide range of subjects, students gained knowledge far beyond what they would have in a normal history class.

Karen Remmetter (1998)

Northside Elementary
Sandpoint, ID

Remmetter's Parents as Partners program was designed to increase young student's enjoyment of reading by encouraging parents to read to their children. Every day, children would take a book home with them and read it with their parents. At school, teachers made sure that the books the children took home covered a wide variety of fictional and non-fictional subjects.

Jan Vann (1997)

Southside Elementary School
Cocolalla, ID

Vann's project enabled students to learn more about World War II through actual experiences of ordinary people and helped students develop better writing skills. Compiling interviews with friends, family members and members of the community, creating illustrations, photos and maps, students developed the personal narratives into a book.

H. Michael Winston (1996)

Shelley High School
Shelley, ID

Winston's program, "Solutions," developed communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and self-discipline skills in students who attempted to solve community problems. Through an integrated curriculum of math, science, and English, students worked on actual problems from the community and then communicated solutions. Technical members worked with students by providing expertise and access to sophisticated equipment.

Illinois

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Tom K. Erf (2008)

Washington School
Evanston, IL

"Digital Literacy" is a project-based program developed by Erf that will integrate reading ability and familiarity with technology into the teaching curriculum to advance the reading fluency and comprehension of fourth-grade Washington School students identified as performing below grade level expectations. During a daily reader's workshop, students will rehearse appropriately challenging theater scripts, discuss the material to ensure understanding and clarify the author's intent. Final performances will be recorded using digital video cameras, and burned to DVD by the students. The technology used in "Digital Literacy" will heighten students' motivation to improve their reading ability in preparation for their performances. Erf's program will target and benefit at-risk students who read slowly or inefficiently or are experiencing frustrations with learning. By using mixed-ability groupings, students are not made to feel singled out and all who participate will find it to be a fun, learning environment. Erf resides in Skokie.

Daniel W. Lundak, Sue Vasilic, Michael Tader, Susan Parsa, Vickie Kurzydlo, Mary Biesty and Rosemary Barilla (2008)

Saugnash Elementary
Chicago, IL

"Digital Storytelling" is a program being led by Lundak and his six colleagues. They have created a cross-curricular Language Arts and Media Technology experience for 150 middle school students at Sauganash Elementary school in Chicago. Their program provides students with an opportunity to write narrative stories full of symbolism and imagery that is brought to life by combining images downloaded from digital, video and Web site photos with narration, music and sound bytes to create digital stories. Although the project will address several Illinois Language Arts and Technology standards, it will also appeal to the "digital generation" and will help them develop writing skills using tone, mood and voice with verbal, visual and auditory features. The high-engagement factor of this program will ensure improvement in writing skills for these sixth through eighth-grade students.

Eric S. Melnyczenko (2008)

Columbia Central School
Steger, IL

Through Melnyczenko's "Reality Store" program, eighth-grade students at Columbia Central School will learn basic skills in financial and career planning, goal setting and decision-making. By simulating real-world experiences such as exploring occupational opportunities, receiving a monthly income and keeping a checkbook register, students will examine their attitudes about their financial future and their career expectations. To support this hands-on initiative, MeInyczenko will create a Reality Store staffed with volunteer students, parents, community members and local business owners to sell everything from insurance to real estate. From time to time the students will also spring the occasional unexpected event on participants. They will then write a first-person narrative essay describing their consumer and career decisions. MeInyczenko hopes to someday be able to offer scholarships to students who demonstrate exemplary learning through the project. MeInyczenko resides in Cedar Lake.

Toni Carmichael (2007)

West Oak Middle School
Mundelein, IL

Carmichael plans to use the ING grant funds to make improvements and new additions to the "Conservation Courtyard". The "Conservation Courtyard" is an outdoor, open air, living laboratory that was developed by students at West Oak Middle School in March 2006 that surrounds classrooms at the school. Through a partnership with the Wildlife Discovery Center, Carmichael and her students created a variety of habitats including a permanent pond, prairie, butterfly garden and small area to conduct a class. The courtyard has also served as a safe haven and place for rehabilitation of native turtles that have been hit by cars. To build on the existing area, Carmichael would like to install a new hatchling rearing pond for rare blanding turtles that the students are currently raising, install museum quality interpretive signs as teaching tools for the students, and provide ongoing maintenance of the site. Since it was developed, the "Conservation Courtyard" has been well received by the school and overall community. In fact, over 85 percent of the students stated that the facility has had the greatest impact on increasing their level of interest in science. Carmichael, who resides in Mundelein, hopes that the conservation facility will continue to keep community and school pride at an all time high.

Mary Lynn Heth (2007)

Park Junior High
La Grange Park, IL

"Sharing the Art" is a book and audio program for visual arts students in School District 102. The program builds off of the existing art gallery at Park Junior High school. Over 325 eighth-grade students will study major artists in the gallery and use images from the collection and their own creations to develop and publish books for primary students in the first and second grades. The books will provide information on the art and the artists. The eighth-grade students will also create podcasts for each book so the younger students will be able to read and also listen to the book. The program will allow the older students to use technology to research, create and disseminate information about the art, and have an opportunity to "teach" the younger students. The primary students will learn about art and reading through technology and will have hands-on experience with art. Heth, who resides in Broadview, hopes that the program can benefit students in other grades and the community at large in the future.

Olivia Parker (2007)

Coulterville Unit District #1
Coulterville, IL

"Biotechnology for Southern Illinois: Science Education that Takes Our Students Beyond the Classroom Window" is a program that makes Coulterville and Chester school districts a "hub" for biotechnology education. Parker felt that society's applications of biotechnology are expanding at a high rate, but many schools are not including it as a form of educational instruction due to lack of resources and implementation support. The program is designed to address this issue in Coulterville Unit District One schools for more than 300 high school students. The objectives of the program are to provide teachers and students with a biotechnology curriculum that utilizes hands-on experiments to enhance intrinsic understanding of the scientific principles, and to provide educators with the training, support and equipment to incorporate biotechnology into their existing curriculum. An ultimate goal for the program is to open the students up to new employment possibilities in fields such as medicine, forensics, politics and law, which will lead to improvements throughout the community. Parker resides in Albers.

Nancy Benoit (2006)

Robert Frost Elementary
Bourbonnais, IL

Benoit's winning program, "Muscle Memory", will help in the fight against childhood obesity with an interactive exercise DVD and news pamphlet. Proper exercise and effective learning go hand-in-hand, with the body resting better and the brain working more efficiently from consistent exercise. Her students at Robert Frost Elementary will be featured in an exercise DVD, led by the school physical education teacher, that will be given to the more than 450 kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students at the school. The exercises featured in the video will address physical activity, as well as highlight the importance of crucial motor skills for children ages two-six. The DVD will not only be shared with the students, but also with their respective siblings of the same age. An insert pamphlet containing helpful physical activities for youngsters will also be created and distributed through a local newspaper, reaching over 8,000 households in their village. Benoit resides in Bourbonnais.

Kris Holloway (2006)

Momence High School
Momence, IL

Recognizing that many young people may not always view health and fitness as a priority, Holloway developed "It's Not Your Parents' PE", a physical education program at Momence High School. The program helps improve student learning by introducing the benefits of physical activity. Divided into four categories, the curriculum combines physical activities with an overview of the components of physical fitness. Each student develops a personal fitness plan which includes a variety of goals for endurance, strength, flexibility and body composition. The results of the students' combined fitness plans are evaluated each fall and spring semester and a report is produced to show how their fitness levels have improved and how each ranks nationally. Approximately 300 out of the 456 students enrolled at Momence High School will benefit from this program. Holloway, a resident of Momence, believes that promoting healthy habits early and discussing the long-term consequences of physical inactivity with students will help reverse the trend of deteriorating health and fitness among future generations.

Chris Abbott (2005)

Hadley Jr. High School
Glen Ellyn, IL

Abbott noticed that fluency is the main barrier holding his students at his school back from reading at their grade level. He found students that are continuously exposed to the sound of fluent readers increase their own fluency and comprehension. To overcome this problem, Abbott created the “iPods Invade Hadley!” program to increase comprehension by playing modern audio books on iPods. The features on the MP3 players provide students the ability to read at their own pace and bookmark sections of their audio book for a later time. Teachers can also manually record their own textbook reading s into the player for students to listen to while reading in class. The recent popularity of iPods will make learning fun and stylish. with over 25 students a year coming through Abbott’s classroom, the program will renew the joy of reading for students discovering the English language for the first time. Abbott lives in Lombard.

Kelly Hjertstedt (2005)

York Alternative High School
Chicago, IL

York Alternative High School has received approval from the Chicago Public Schools to participate in the annual science fair for the first time. Hjertstedt wanted to ensure that her students would have the same advantages as o ther fair participants in her school system, regardless of the obstacles. She decided to organize an after school program, “Get Us to the Science Fair,” for students interested in participating in the fair, to support the completion of their projects and to receive feedback from classmates on their progression. Students enter an oral presentation via videotape and their exhibit board travels to the fair location on their behalf. Follow-up questions will be called into the Department of Corrections where a teacher will serve as a liaison between the judges and the students. In addition to enhancing their appreciation for science, students in the program will show that obstacles can be overcome to create effective learning opportunities. They will also learn that their alternative school can offer educational opportunities equivalent to other public schools in the area. Monies received will fund all administrative and project materials Hjertstedt lives in Chicago.

Aaron Podolner (2005)

Oak Park and River Forest High School
Oak Park, IL

With Podolner’s “Physics of Fitness” program being piloted at Oak Park and River Forest High School, students will have an interesting opportunity to learn through a combined physics and physical education curriculum. As the project lead, Podolner will help 300 students in both subject areas create a digital stock of images of the movements of student athletes. Through analysis of these images, they will learn about proper fitness and athletic techniques. Using the scientific method, students will also find links between improved form and athletic achievement. In the end, students should see better performance in sports and learn about living healthier lifestyles. The program will then be introduced to other students and parents, as well as be available on the Internet. Podolner is a resident of Berwyn.

Randy Steinheimer (2005)

J.H. Freeman Elementary School
Aurora, IL

With the help of teammates Sue Hard, Laurie Mitz, Debbie Steinheimer, Deborah Stevens, and Meg Bero, Steinheimer developed the “Museum Artifact Inquiry ZonE” or M.A.I.Z.E. project. In M.A.I.Z.E., fourth grade students will work in conjunction with the curator of the Schingoe the Native American Museum and undergraduate students from Aurora University’s School of Education. The students will study mystery artifacts provided by the museum curator and research their origins with the help of a university student. From there, students will build a museum quality exhibit using text and visuals, including maps, photos and drawings. The museum will hold a grand opening to share the new exhibits with other students, parents and guests. By the end of the project, students will have learned more about museums, artifacts and Native American culture. Steinheimer is a resident of Aurora.

Theresa Byrd-Smith (Principal) (2004)

Living Word Christian Academy
Bellwood, IL

Principal Byrd-Smith teamed up with educators Bonnie Moulds, Monica Henry, Diane Bluford, and Norma Bryson to create “Citizens Exercising the Right to Vote (CERV),” which teaches the democratic process by holding mock elections for Student Leadership Association officers and replicating the processes leading up to them for all first through eighth graders. Students interested in running for office complete an application, obtain several recommendations, attend pre-election training workshops, give a speech at the campaign rally and prepare to debate other candidates. In order to cast a vote in the primary or general election, students must register to vote and attend the appropriate precinct meeting in their district (based on grade level). In addition to exercising critical thinking, communication and political process conduct skills, CERV helps prepare students to be active, informed citizens in their community.

Kathleen Gabric (2004)

Hinsdale Central High School
Hinsdale, IL

Gabric’s “Bioinformatics” program exposes students to the new scientific discipline created from biological data produced by the Human Genome Project. Bioinformatics includes the acquisition, storage, analysis, modeling and distribution of different information embedded in DNA. Students study the various aspects of human DNA and protein sequencing, and apply their knowledge to gain a better understanding of genetic disease, evolution and human physiology. Classroom activities utilize calculators and computers, and student projects focus on building reasoning and problem-solving skills, rather than just requiring the memorization of facts, terminology and formulas. Utilizing technology and experiencing firsthand professional laboratory techniques, students also are challenged to identify real world applications and connections to their scientific knowledge, including social and ethical issues and controversies that are linked to human DNA and genetics.

Kathleen McCollum (2004)

Liberty Junior High School
New Lenox, IL

McCollum’s “Liberty Limited News” program is designed to engage students in media studies by giving them the responsibility to produce a 20-minute news show each month. Students work together to brainstorm ideas, conduct interviews, write the news stories, research topics, design sets, operate cameras, fill the reporting and anchor roles and edit final footage. Students focus on news stories that are related to both the school and community, such as the “Stump the Students” segment that poses fun trivia questions to the student body. “Liberty Limited News” is not only shown at school, but also on the local cable network. As the show grows in popularity, students are continually challenged to improve upon their work as they receive feedback after each newscast.

Bertha Tracy (2003)

Beardstown JR/SR High School
Beardstown, IL

Tracy's "Wetlands Environmental Training Lab And Natural Development of School Habitat (WETLANDS)" project gives students hands-on experience with science exploration and a greater appreciation of the wetlands ecology at their school. As part of a restoration compensation plan developed by the school district and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, students collect and record data on the wetland's soil, water quality, vegetation and wildlife. The information is used to create databases so future classes and governmental agencies can measure the quality of the wetlands ecosystem over time. The students gain skills in various areas of science and environmental study, while helping to give their community a restored wetland habitat.

Dawn Andermann (2002)

Waterman Elementary
Waterman, IL

Andermann's "Mostly Manipulative Math" program uses manipulatives, game formats, and technology integration taught through engaging, problem-solving class activities and math centers to enrich Waterman Elementary's existing math program. Activities are scaffolded to allow struggling students to participate in entire class activities. Math centers are student-friendly to encourage independent student work and replace math practice sheets with engaging, problem-solving activities. The program helps students improve their problem solving and critical thinking skills, makes math more engaging, and helps students meet the State of Illinois Mathematics Goals.

Diane Fator (2002)

Emerson School
Berwyn, IL

Fator's "SCORE" project is a community volunteer tutoring program that stands for Students & Community Own Reading/Math Excellence. Through the project, volunteers are recruited, screened, and then matched with achieving-below-grade-level students to receive tutoring sessions two to three days per week, 15-20 minutes per day. As a result, all 70 students involved in the program are expected to make significant gains in reading and math skills, with more than 50% catching up with other students at their grade level. In addition, the community has developed a better connection to the school, and parents report better family harmony thanks to student pride in their classroom skills.

Cheryl Lewis (2002)

Calvin Coolidge Middle School
West Peoria, IL Lewis' "Bird Talk Web Guide" is a student-created Web site where students identified more than 20 different species of birds and applied their research in assessing the local status and health of those birds. During their research, students work in groups to document the birds' characteristics, behavior, and environment by using local experts and media, give presentations on their findings, and post the results on a class Web site. The project is unique in that it allows students to blend the disciplines of writing, research, science, and Web design as they share their findings with a worldwide network of students.

Toni Lundeen (2002)

Centennial School
Plano, IL

Lundeen's "Growing Tomorrow's World" project is possible thanks to the generous contributions of world-renowned labyrinth artist Marty Kermeen. As part of the project, students study the historical, mathematical, and artistic significance of labyrinths. Then, working with a design created by Mr. Kermeen and the school's teachers, the students assist with the physical preparation of the site and design their own bricks that will be used to border the labyrinth pathways. The project helps students realize the real-life applications of their classroom lessons, while allowing them to express their artistic creativity in the creation of a lasting tribute to their years at Centennial School.

Michelle Zeko (2002)

Milne Grove School
Lockport, IL Zeko's "Milne Grove Science Museum" encourages K-3 students to experiment with scientific topics by building a hands-on science museum. The museum lets students experiment with scientific topics and teaches science through discovery learning and manipulatives. K-2 students describe observed events; develop questions about scientific topics; use measuring instruments to collect data; and learn to use basic science safety practices. Third-graders demonstrate and explain how forces cause actions and reactions; use scientific processes and skills like observing, estimating, and measuring to collect data; and describe and demonstrate the properties of solids, liquids, and gases.

Susan Garrett (2001)

Northmoor-Edison Primary School
Peoria, Ill.

Garrett's "S.A.C.K.S." (Students' Action in the Community through Kindness and Snacks) project lets students create "snack sacks" for nonprofit agencies in the community. (Salvation Army residents, for instance, receive snack sacks to supplement the one hot meal per day provided by the agency.) The sacks include sandwiches, fruit, cookies, and other treats, along with cards or letters, and are decorated on the outside to reflect holidays or special occasions. Students also help deliver the sacks. By introducing students to local charitable giving, the project builds teamwork and character and helps foster a sense of community.

Paul Hardt (2001)

Dundee Highlands School
West Dundee, Ill.

Hardt's "KRTV Time Traveler" project is a video show produced by fifth graders. Each show is based on a figure from American history, who, along with other people from the period, is interviewed about his or her life and accomplishments. The interviewees are portrayed by students. In addition, students research, write, and produce the programs, with attention to finding appropriate roles for students with special needs. The project is an exciting, motivating way to engage students in the study of history while developing research, writing, technical, and social skills.

Fran Etter (2000)

Belleville West High School
Belleville, IL

Etter and Belleville West High's "JumpStart" program is an answer to the school's recent history of struggling first-year students. The program's goal is to assist freshmen who are in danger of failing and ensure on-time graduation by implementing a developmental curriculum that focuses on academic skill building, personal and social enrichment, and vocational exploration. Students work closely with teachers who mentor them throughout the year, learning to attain goals and receiving needed support and encouragement.

Patricia Marshall (2000)

Carbondale High School
Carbondale, IL

Marshall's "Interdisciplinary Study Skills" program focuses on helping first-year students get a strong start in high school by targeting study skills and other aspects of academic success. The program is unique in that students access lessons at any time via the Internet and work at their own pace. Students develop important skills such as problem solving, communicating, using technology, teamwork, and making connections among disciplines, and also explore how to apply these skills in and out of high school.

Janet Bakewell (1999)

Varna Grade School
Varna, IL

Bakewell's "Walk Across America" program has individual classrooms research a major city. Classes travel to their destinations where the host class shares information through plays, videos and speakers. The students increase their communication and research skills in addition to learning about the country.
Visit the Midland school district website.

Bernita Robinson (1999)

Bryn Mawr
Chicago, IL

Robinson's "Committing to Ourselves and Our Community" program gives African-American students a chance to learn about their heritage while gaining valuable skills through involvement in community projects. Students research African-Americans that have made a significant contribution to American society, and intern with members of the community to learn valuable career skills.

Mark Grishaber (1998)

St. Patrick High School
Chicago, IL

Grishaber's Ultimate Road Trip project gave students $20,000 in an imaginary checking account which they used to buy a car and finance insurance and other expenses. In addition, they were given an imaginary credit card for other expenses. Students then "drove" their car around the country, visiting specific companies. To earn money, students were asked specific questions about company web sites, with correct answers earning them play money. The program taught students money management skills and economic principles which will become lifetime skills for them.

Danielle Gustafson (1998)

Gompers Junior High School
Joliet, IL

Gustafson's An Apple In Your Home project gave parents and students the chance to take computers home from school to improve computer knowledge. To participate, parents were required to take a class on how to use specific software. The computers benefited the students by giving them a new tool to use on school projects, while the parents benefited from the organizational software on the computer. The program also helped connect children and parents, providing them with something to work on together.

Pamela Baker (1997)

Washington Elementary School
Vandalia, IL

Baker's project, Partners in Reading, promotes literacy by modeling good oral reading and a love of literature. Community volunteers come into the classroom to eat lunch and read to a student. Students learn new listening, speaking, reading, and writing vocabulary, along with establishing a mentor type relationship with the community volunteer.

R. James Breunlin (1997)

Schaumburg High School
Schaumburg, IL

Breunlin's project is an interdisciplinary based initiative that connects the courses of electronics, business management, accounting, computer presentation, advanced physics, algebra and trigonometry to each other. Students are taught portions of their required curriculum through an application based partnership with a local manufacturer of precision measuring encoders.

Carol Conway (1996)

Morgan Park High School
Chicago, IL

Conway's creative writing students undertook "Project Empowerment," writing and publishing a book of short stories. Called "Adventures in the Hood: The Real Heroes," the book is for and about children who overcome adversity by making wise choices. The students learned about life in shelters and low-income housing, improved their academic skills such as writing, and learned social skills such as respect.

Douglas Falk (1996)

Cuba Middle/Senior High School
Cuba, IL

Falk's aquaculture project engaged students with environmental studies, allowed mentoring of middle school students by high school students, incorporated partnerships with environmental organizations, and developed on-line materials for the World Wide Web. Aquaculture brought science and math together and added daily problem-solving skills to the practical experiences within the project.

Ann Garrett (1996)

Mt. Vernon Township High School
Mt. Vernon, IL

Garrett's intergenerational program paired students with parents, grandparents, and others. Collaboratively, they studied and created projects related to a drama presentation and then attended the event together. Students also learned about the theater process through presentations from the directors, technical crews, and performers.

Indiana

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Thomas J. Bennett (2008)

NorthWood Middle School
Wakarosa, IN

The "Aim High with Rocketry" project involves sixth-grade astronomy students at NorthWood Middle School designing, assembling, testing and launching rockets. Bennett's project provides students with hands-on learning activities that teach the inspection, disassembling and reassembling of mechanical devices, including technology essential to reaching outer space. Students will use models to illustrate processes that happen too slowly, too quickly, too small a scale to observe directly or are potentially dangerous. They will also explore the differences and similarities in sizes, compositions and surface features of planets in the solar system as well as objects orbiting them. Students are encouraged to work on various aspects of the project at home with parents. Bennet is a resident of Goshen.

Amy R. Hamann (2008)

Barker Middle School
Michigan, IN

Hamann plans to use the ING grant funds to purchase laptops to help teach eighth-grade students the value of energy conservation. Her program, "Conservation Smarts Using Technology" will facilitate online research to gather information on energy conservation, including strategies and solutions for daily life. Hamann hopes that the discovery of eye-opening findings about different energy sources and uses, and ways of conserving energy and available natural resources will help students become stewards of their communities and the Earth. After researching this valuable information, students will make others aware of energy conservation issues and Earth-friendly strategies through school and community presentations that cover the importance of energy conservation. This project will give students the positive tools needed to help them make better decisions about energy conservation each day. Hamann is a resident of Michigan City.

John F. Dearing, Janie Umcer, Mark Wilson, Amanda Teets and Kyle Chezem (2008)

Kesling Middle School
La Porte, IN

Dearing and his four colleagues developed the 13-week problem-based curriculum "Mysteries of Kesling Middle School" program to increase science, math, social studies and language arts achievement as students search for answers in a treasure hunt. Each lesson will take place in one of Epcot Center's 11 accurately-depicted countries, where teachers will act as virtual tour guides by filming stories to be shown to students each week on interactive whiteboards. After viewing each story, students will work in teams to conduct science labs, decipher codes and solve mathematical equations in order to solve clues that open a treasure box. By creating this hands-on treasure hunt, the team hopes to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills and student reasoning.

Karin Huttsell (2007)

Hickory Center Elementary School
Fort Wayne, IN

Huttsell's project titled "Rub-a-dub-dub, Science in a tub!" brings necessary science concepts and hands-on activities to kindergarten through second-grade students in an easy-to-use tub with instructions. As a science teacher at Hickory Center Elementary School, Huttsell has found that the hands-on aspects of the subject can be a great motivator for her students. She plans to coordinate the project components to meet state science and math standards for the students. The tubs may include items such as rock samples, prisms, sand, soil and magnifying glasses. The children will be able to use the hands-on activities in the tubs as a class every week throughout the school year. Huttsell plans to evaluate the success of the activities and make necessary changes in order to share the tubs with other teachers. The tubs may possibly be loaned to parents over the summer as an enrichment tool for their child. Huttsell's ultimate vision is to put science in the hands of all of her students. Huttsell resides in Ft. Wayne.

Arthur Kline (2006)

Huntington North High School
Huntington, IN

"Protein Production for Profit" is the brainchild of Kline. Students at Huntington North High School will be given a DNA code sequence, and during a four-week period, and through inquiry-based learning using the Indiana State Standards, they will investigate, manipulate, develop and present a group presentation. The program will directly affect the understanding of genetics and the technology associated with genetic engineering. This should result in more informed decisions made on public policies and laws dealing with genetics. It will benefit two biology classes of 30 students during its first year. In its second year, the project will be introduced to the science department teachers in the hopes that all students taught each year can benefit. Kline resides in Huntington.

Jill Ohlsen (2006)

Castle High School
Newburgh, IN

Ohlsen plans to expand Castle High School's current anatomy and physiology course to include a classroom set of sensors designed to measure students' personal physiological measurements including muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems throughout the year. Ohlsen emphasizes the theme "structure indicates function" in her classes, but students have had a difficult time grasping how their anatomical parts work together to make the human body function. Her program, "Who's Ready for Tour d'Indiana?", will monitor each student's systems and then compare these measurements to those of world-class athletes. According to Ohlsen, the program will motivate students to learn more about how their own bodies work and help them internalize the importance of physical activity and regular exercise. She believes the proposed personal performance measurement program will help them understand this concept better by bringing their personal anatomy "alive" through a series of measurements, tests and monitoring. Ultimately, she hopes students will become advocates for physiologically healthy choices in their communities. Ohlsen resides in Evansville.

Theresa Casto (2005)

Lancaster Central Elementary School
Bluffton, IN

“Survivor Mathematica: Out think, Outsolve, Outlearn”, developed by Casto and teammates Tara Longenberger, Nathan Stauffer, Sarah Uchrinscko, Rhonda Rasdorf, Lindsey Main, Betty Feay, and Zach Rodgers, will take students on a learning adventure to explore math concepts in real-life situations. The reality adventure will allow students to use their math skills on a daily basis. They will run a mock store with real products and design dream houses using specific guidelines in a house design station. with the help of community experts, they will also design and build clubhouses to donate to Habitat for Humanity. The students will also plan and prepare meals for senior citizens and the “Grand People” in their lives, which will allow them to learn about following directions, computation, measurement and health. Other students will have a chance to get involved by critiquing a game the students develop. An additional element of the program is a student bank where students will assist peers in balancing checkbooks, filling out loan applications, planning investments, and other financial transactions. The program will benefit the entire school community of 600 students. Casto lives in Ossian.

Karen Adams (2004)

West Vigo Elementary
West Terre Haute, IN

Adams, teaming up with teacher Timothy Moss and school counselor Glenda Favre, helps coordinate the “No Bullies Club.” The club, founded originally by two fifth grade students tired of being bullied, has a goal of eliminating all bullying in the school community through teaching students and staff members ways to identify and respond constructively to situations of bullying. Students participating in the club write letters, make school announcements, and design posters with anti-bullying messages, as well as provide tips to students on how to deal with bullying incidents. Promoting peace and respect, the club’s activities work to improve student achievement, attitude and self-esteem, while teaching effective ways to manage anger and avoid conflicts and violent situations.

Tonya Taylor (2004)

Stout Field Elementary
Indianapolis, IN

Assisted by Principal Judy Stegemann, and teachers Pam Guthier, Kristen Distler and the sixth grade teaching staff, Taylor’s “The Stout Field P.O.S.T. (Presenting Our Students’ Talents)” program is designed to enhance reading, writing and technological skills. It also aims to increase students’ basic knowledge of and experience in the surrounding community. The Stout Field P.O.S.T. is a biweekly news publication that sixth graders create and distribute to the student body. Students are responsible for the bulk of writing, editing, story ideas, information gathering, production and distribution that goes along with the paper. Coverage areas include the school, neighborhood and local community, which allows students to do hands-on, on-site reporting. For instance, the students go to the local universities and museums for news stories. The Stout Field P.O.S.T. is a meaningful project that is helping students become lifelong readers and writers.

Monica Tener-Smith (2004)

Dixie Bee Elementary School
Terre Haute, IN

Tener-Smith’s “East Asian Curriculum” project is designed to expose students to a variety of East Asian cultures, including information on the history, languages, literature and religions of the region. Many students in the school are of East Asian background and have expressed interest in the topics. The program aims to bring the global world into the classroom and help students appreciate the diversity of other cultures. A cross-curricular program, the East Asian project incorporates activities using geography, language arts, math, science and social studies. Students are able to research information about East Asian countries, use map reading skills, practice writing skills, study art and cultural artifacts, and learn basic language vocabularies. A major goal of the project is to foster a greater understanding among students of the diverse and changing world in which they live.

Rebecca Knipp (2003)

Sunman-Dearborn Intermediate School
West Harrison, IN

Knipp's "SDIS's Alphabet Soup of Experiments" project aims to increase attendance and test scores by taking a cross-grade level approach to learning. Leading a team of science teachers and other faculty including Sally Taylor, Dawn Bugni and Chris McCann, Knipp has her sixth grade students conduct a series of science experiments. Each experiment is tied to a letter in the alphabet, and the sixth graders present these them to kindergarten classes where students are learning their ABCs. This helps the sixth graders increase their knowledge of the scientific concepts behind their experiments, and benefits the kindergarten classes as they learn their letters. In addition, it promotes a love of learning and science that builds self-confidence and gives students a reason to want to come to school.

David Butler (2002)

Southern Wells Jr./Sr. High School
Poneto, IN

Butler's "Biobot" project is a biology project in which students crate an anatomical "collage" of the human body using items commonly found around the house. Beginning with videos, research, and discussion about selected organs and their function, students then build a "biobot" to resemble the human anatomy. Students learn an alternative to laboratory dissection as well as prepare for the more authentic observations that might be made during later anatomical dissection of mammals. Students also learn research skills, group management skills, and develop an awareness of the complexity of the human body.

Duane Nickell (2001)

Decatur Central High School
Indianapolis, Ind.

Nickell's "Project SCOPE: Single Concept Physics Exploratorium" program has students designing and building interactive exhibits to demonstrate a particular physics concept. For the first Exploratorium, focusing on magnetism, students thoroughly research their topic of study and write interactive instructions to accompany the exhibit, explaining what the visitor to the project is seeing. The project gives students valuable hands-on experience in the world of science, while encouraging parental and community participation as the Exploratorium opens its doors to public viewing.

Sheila Piazza (2000)

Delta Middle School
Muncie, IN

Piazza's "Art to Go" project helps students use technology to further their art education. Using a digital camera and special computer programs, students photograph their artwork, download images, and transfer them onto T-shirts. To generate a dialogue about the artistic process, the shirts, which students wear to various school and community functions, list student-developed questions under the heading "Let's Talk About Art." Through the project, students develop an appreciation for how art fits into their lives and the lives of others around them.

Nancy Richey (2000)

Madison Area Educational Special Services Unit
Madison, IN

Richey's "Special Education Communication Skills" project helps students with severe communication difficulties interact with others through portable communication devices. With the touch of a button, an engineered message is "spoken" by the device, allowing nonverbal students to verbalize comments and decisions to peers or adults at school, home, and in the community. The portable aids are an integral part of ongoing classroom programming and give these students the ability to express a wide range of communication intents.

Susan Belt (1999)

Craig Middle School
Indianapolis, IN

Belt's "Challenge and Environmental" Program helps students develop their self-confidence and problem-solving skills through different outdoor activities. Students develop self-confidence on a ropes course and develop teamwork skills on a team challenge course. Students also develop their science and math skills conducting science experiments at a nearby creek. Visit the Craig Middle School website at http://www.msdlt.k12.in.us/msdlt/craig.

Lisa Burkhardt (1999)

Discovery School
Richmond, IN

Burkhardt's "Community Service Outreach" project gives middle school students a chance to make a difference in their community. Once a week, students visit different sites in their community to provide assistance. These sites include a local animal shelter, a nursing home, and an arboretum. The students learn that they can have a beneficial impact on their community through service.

James McCarter (1999)

Central Middle School
Kokomo, IN

McCarter's "Space Lab & Mars Room" project gives students a chance to participate in their own space mission. Students apply for and train for specific jobs related to a space mission and then conduct this mission in a model space station and space shuttle. The program encourages students to become more involved in school activities and math and science classes.

Barbara Baker (1998)

Adams County Center for Educational Success
Decatur, IN

Baker's Encouraging Friends program pairs at-risk students with mentors from the community. The program gave students a positive community role model who could encourage and promote positive growth for the student. Through both group and private activities, students and mentors built relationships which benefit the students' academic and personal growth.

Theresa Greenwood (1998)

Burris School
Muncie, IN

Greenwood's Ready, Set, Go project taught young students the importance of physical fitness in their lives and how it will be important when they enter the workplace. The program also gave students experience in running their own business, by requiring each grade level to develop a fitness product to market and sell to other students. Through the project, students learned a number of valuable skills, including cooperation, goal setting and basic economic principles.

Phyllis Said (1998)

Eaton Elementary
Eaton, IN

Said's I Wonder project integrated a number of different subjects into a science program to help students better learn and understand different scientific concepts. In addition to classroom work, students were provided with take-home science backpacks which contained different projects for students to work on at home with their parents. The program taught students observation and problem solving skills in addition to fostering more parental involvement in children's school work.

Roxanne Meyer (1997)

South Ripley Elementary School
Versailles, IN

Meyer's project, Accelerated Reader Store, is a computerized reading management program that combines great literature, testing for comprehension, record keeping, and a recognition and reward system. Students redeem points earned from tests on knowledge and comprehension of a selected book by answering multiple choice questions on a computer. Items which students can purchase include backpacks, sports equipment, books, school supplies and hats.

Melodie Busch (1996)

Southeastern Career Center
Versailles, IN

Busch's "Work-At-School" project went a step beyond vocational training by allowing high school seniors to gain work experience needed for positions after graduation. The program was unique in that the business setting was at school -- a collaboration with local businesses. The students were responsible for meeting deadlines, prioritizing their work, and learning about an industry while gaining valuable academic skills.

Karen Semancik (1996)

Kolling School
St. John, IN

Semancik's "Living History" project was designed to enhance fifth-grade students' interest in history and social studies through the integration of literature, art, and technology.

Iowa

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Ryan Lensing (2008)

Dowling Catholic High School
West Des Moines, IA

Lensing wants to develop an "Outdoor Classroom" equipped with a prairie to enhance the research opportunities of his environmental science classes where students can conduct ecological comparative studies between the prairie and the forest thereby creating a human altered landscape. Students would use field techniques, global positioning system (GPS) and satellite map data to create a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the research area. The main objective of the project is to restore a prairie on school grounds and continually increase its diversity each year by having students grow an assortment of plants. Students will also use cutting-edge environmental technology to monitor the progress of the prairie. Lensing believes an outdoor classroom will increase local biodiversity and provide a beautiful, natural space for students, teachers and the community to enjoy. This classroom will also raise awareness of conservation issues and help educate the public about conservation and restoration projects in Iowa. Lensing lives in West Des Moines.

Alison Arnold (2007)

Future Pathways - Central Campus
Des Moines, IA

"Think It Over" is a teen pregnancy prevention program for at-risk students in the Future Pathways dropout prevention center at Central Campus. The program was designed to help prevent unplanned pregnancies for teens and help students gain a real understanding of the responsibilities associated with teenage parenthood. The "RealCare Baby" infant simulators will be used to show that caring for an infant can be difficult work. The simulators and curriculum, which comply with state standards for family consumer sciences, are programmed to require specific infant care from the students including feeding, diaper changing, burping, and rocking. As a baby simulator cries, the student must determine what type of care is needed. The response is recorded by software in the simulators that will report whether the type of care given was correct. The baby will interrupt the students' social lives and will wake them up in the middle of the night. In addition to the baby simulators, the program will also include the Empathy Belly which allows male and female students to experience what it is like to carry a child. Arnold's goal is to show the students first-hand what having a baby is really like and will not only benefit the students, but the community as a whole. Arnold lives in Des Moines.

Patricia Fox (2007)

Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School
Waverly, IA

"Navigating the Stream Data" is a continuation of an existing stream monitoring program at Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School. Students in the Algebra II and Science Issues class will join together to collect a variety of data from two local streams twice a year. After collecting data such as pH levels, temperature and dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate levels, the students will review the data for correlations and Fox will send the data back to them using the TI-Navigator system. The system allows for immediate feedback from the teacher to the students and makes the process more time efficient. By using data from local streams, the data analysis will be more rigorous and relevant for the students who will then have to present their findings to the rest of the class. The goal is that the program will help students improve their communications skills and that the TI-Navigator system will increase their interest and achievement in mathematics. Fox lives in Waverly.

Kevin Shedenhelm (2006)

Denver Elementary School
Denver, IA

The objective of Shedenhelm's program is to transform unstructured recess time into structured fitness time. The only competition that students at Denver Elementary experience with the school's "Quicker, Stronger, Faster" program is self-motivation. Students in grades three through five participate in structured fitness time twice in a six-day cycle. During each 30-minute session, students participate in a variety of wellness activities including strength training, rock wall climbing, horizontal and vertical pegboards, rope climbing and dancing. Between 175-180 students benefit from the program which aims to help students take ownership of their own physical well-being, set goals, and monitor the progress of their physical fitness. During the first month, most students experience improvements in their overall speed, strength and coordination. Three times throughout the year, each student's performances will be evaluated using an individualized charting system. The scores will be printed on the student's progress reports for parental review. Shedenhelm believes the self-motivation and confidence this program creates benefits students both physically and mentally and provides them with the tools they need to become whatever they believe is possible. He resides in Denver.

Stacy Vaughn (2006)

Perry High School
Perry, IA

Vaughn's winning program, "Putting the Tech into Biotech", will help Perry High School students learn about the latest breakthroughs in biotechnology through the construction of a dedicated lab. Often times, the textbook alone lacks the creativity that can spark a student's interest in pursuing a career in a science field. This project seeks to change that by allowing students to participate in cutting-edge biotech tasks such as analyzing crime scene DNA, studying agricultural products, and evaluating similarities within our human genome. They will also design creative projects that utilize biology sensors to measure heart rates and evaluate overall fitness levels. Upon completing their research, the students will then share their findings with seventh-grade life science students to provide an introduction to biotechnology. They will also share their final projects with members of the community. This program will not only help teach participating high school students, but it will educate the community as a whole on the importance of biotechnology. Vaughn resides in Perry.

John Adelmann (2005)

Central Alternative High School
Dubuque, IA

Developed with teammate Tim Ebeling, Adelmann’s “Dubuque Shot Tower Research Project” will allow 25 at-risk American History and English students to assist Dubuque city planners, local historians and other community leaders with the rehabilitation of one of the city’s most prominent landmarks, the Shot Tower. Students will learn what it is like to become a positive community contributor while developing an appreciation for the city’s past. Students will conduct research on the Shot Tower with the project collaborators from the community. They will then turn their findings into a published reference book and DVD highlighting the landmark’s revitalization. The video will be featured on local cable access television. A web component will be available for other educators to develop community based projects. The proceeds from the sales of the books and DVDs will benefit the Dubuque County Historical Society and the Center for Dubuque History at Loras College. Adelmann is a resident of Peosta.

Gail Kunch (2005)

Fort Madison Catholic High School
Fort Madison, IA

Located in rural Iowa, Fort Madison is surrounded by local seed companies who use advanced DNA technology everyday for the state’s agriculture. with her program, “Advanced Biotechnology Applications,” Kunch saw an opportunity for her biology students to capitalize on their surroundings and help seed companies look for ways to grow genetically enhanced vegetables. The course will teach enhanced techniques in DNA by matching nearly 180 high school students with professionals to see how DNA technology is used in a real world setting. This will serve as a stepping stone for other advanced science classes at the school and the lessons taught through the course will prepare them for work beyond high school. Most importantly, the course will instill confidence in the students in regards to their studies and research projects from this point forward. Kunch lives in Fort Madison.

Karen Stiles (2005)

Central Campus
Des Moines, IA

With oceans being so vital to the environment, yet so inaccessible to students more than 1000 miles inland in Iowa 20 years ago, Stiles created the “Oceans Alive in Landlocked Iowa” program. Over the past 20 years they have reached tens of thousands of people, ages three to 93, through fieldtrips to their classroom and via on-and-off campus presentations. In 2004 alone, more than 8,000 people in Iowa and Florida have been touched by the program. Creativity, dedication and generosity helped students, parents, community members and Stiles develop the Marine Biology program for Central Iowa High School. More than 70 marine aquariums (largest – 800 gallons) housing such animals as breeding sharks now fill the Marine Biology lab. It also features specimens that range from whale bones to loggerhead turtle shells. Stiles lives in Des Moines.

Jane Schmidt (2004)

Maquoketa Middle School
Maquoketa, IA

Schmidt’s “Orphan Train: Special Deliveries to Our Community” project focuses on the community’s connection to the Orphan Train history of the early 1900s when children were sent on trains from the East to farm families in the Midwest. Although the train traveled through Maquoketa, students often are unaware of the impact this had on the community. Therefore, the students read Joan Lowry Nixon’s “Orphan Train” books and research the Orphan Train history as it directly affected the community. Additionally, students interview community residents with direct knowledge of this time period. Students then create QuickTime movies and CDs for the local museum and for the families that participated in the interviews. This project not only allows students to learn about the history of their own community while exercising their reading, research, interview and compilation skills, but they also contribute to the record of this historical time period.

Mary Eby (2003)

Woodbine Community School
Woodbine, IA

Working together with fellow educator Mary Clark, Eby's "Getting To Know You" pen pal project blends the disciplines of social studies with language arts skills. In the program, second grade students from rural Southwest Iowa learn about cultural diversity and improve writing skills through participating in a pen pal exchange program with students attending a large inner city school in Omaha. The pen pal project promotes an awareness of the cultural differences and similarities between rural and urban communities and encourages interactive relationships between students, parents, teachers and the community. Students correspond on a monthly basis with their pen pals, exchanging letters, pictures and stories, and learning about each other's communities. In the program's culminating event, the students host their Omaha pen pals for a field trip to a local farm.

Marcia Volker (2003)

Shenandoah Elementary School
Shenandoah, IA

Volker's "Famous Iowans"/Living Museum project teaches local second grade students the effect various Iowans have had on the state, nation and world. Each second grade student selects one Iowan from the Iowa Walk Of Fame. The students research their chosen individual, write a short narrative and portray their Iowan in both speech and dress at an event in conjunction with the annual ShenFest celebration. This project provides students with role models, promotes self-confidence, and allows for collaboration between the school and the community. Students, teachers, parents and the community all benefit from acquiring new knowledge about Iowa's famous people.

Don Groff (2002)

Woodbine Elementary
Woodbine, IA

Groff's "Learning to Fly" project teaches students the basics of flying an airplane through the use of Cessna CD ROMs, NASA Internet sites, and a flight simulator. As part of the project, students learn about air and how it aids flight, the effects of forces on aircraft, and aviation history, as well as the six basic instruments of airplanes, how to use the trim and flaps, and how to take off, climb, turn, descend, and land. The students are tested on the information they learn and on how well they operate the simulator. The program has resulted in an increased commitment to learning and an avid interest in an aviation career among students.

Lori Topp (2001)

Hubbard-Radcliffe High School
Hubbard, Iowa

Topp's "Mainstreet Recovery" project is a collaborative effort between students and the community to restore the town's main thoroughfare following a devastating gas explosion which completely destroyed Mainstreet. Through the project, art, math, and computer students work with architectural consultants, the Chamber of Commerce, and community members to develop a vision of what the new Mainstreet will look like. Through the study of local architecture, cost estimating, interviews with local residents, and incorporating community needs, students are taking a very active role in rebuilding the hub of their downtown area.

Barbara Walker (2001)

Ottumwa Alternative High School
Ottumwa, Iowa

Walker's "Polymers Are Here, There and Everywhere" project helps alternative students rediscover the excitement of learning about science and share that excitement with younger students. Using hands-on polymer chemistry experiments, students engage in activities such as making slime and shrinking plastic. Students then take their fun on the road, sharing their experiments with elementary students through a science-based "magic show." The project encourages alternative students to attend school more regularly and allows them an opportunity to show and share their knowledge and develop better self-esteem.

Cynthia Marten (2000)

Fellows Elementary School
Ames, IA

Marten's "Magical Music" project uses music to enhance the academic performance of students with behavioral disorders. Music keyboards are interfaced with computers to provide an efficient, motivating way to learn musical concepts and skills. Students learn to play and improvise, explore digital sequencing, and work in depth on composition ideas. Through the discipline of practicing alone or with others, students encounter opportunities for risk taking, communication, and collaboration.

Lisa Arnold (1999)

Riverview Elementary School
Sioux City, IA

Arnold's "Project Windsong" is a multicultural music enrichment program involving elementary schools in a local and nationwide exchange of cultural arts information. Students exchange writings, photos and cassette recordings of music indigenous to their cultures or areas. The program enhances students' self-esteem and classroom achievement by helping develop a positive cultural image. Visit the "Project Windsong" website at http://www.siouxlan.com/riverview.

Diane McCarty (1999)

Price Laboratory School
Cedar Falls, IA

McCarty's "Science Comes Alive" takes a multi-disciplinary approach, extending student learning through meaningful classroom activities. The program involves parents in scientific activities with their children by integrating reading, writing, listening and speaking skills with science. The program taps critical thinking skills and problem solving skills while increasing student awareness of the role of science in their daily lives.

Carol Seitz (1999)

Aquin Elementary
Cascade, IA

Seitz's "Outdoor Classroom" provides theme gardens for hands-on investigative learning. Students learn to work cooperatively to beautify school grounds as well as parks and public places throughout the community. The outdoor classroom uses an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates technical writing, research, mapping, converting measurements, marketing, community involvement, and technology.

Debra Stevens (1998)

Dubuque Community Schools
Dubuque, IA

Stevens' Jazz in Its Time project gave students the opportunity to study and perform jazz, including jazz improvisation. Through weekly after-school sessions, students practiced their improvisation skills while they also practiced with the jazz ensemble. Students also were mentored by members of a local jazz group.

Carol Duehr (1997)

Fulton Elementary School
Dubuque, IA

Duehr's project involved teaching children to provide services for others. The class adopted physically challenged patients at the Shriner's Hospital in a neighboring state and completed a variety of educational and craft items for them. The students learned how to serve in the domains of democratic citizenship, natural and social sciences, mathematics, technology, arts, craftsmanship, introspection, and empathy.

Debrah Fordice (1996)

Audubon Elementary School
Dubuque, IA

Fordice created this year-long project called "Bethany Home Biography." By traveling to a nearby nursing home several times during the year, students interviewed nursing home residents about their lives. Each student then wrote a biography about their interview subject. The students developed listening, speaking, and creative writing skills. They also learned about history through the stories of their subjects as well as developing relationships with them.

Kansas

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Derrick P. Abromeit (2008)

Gardner Edgerton High School
Gardner, KS

Through Abromeit's "Creating the Perfect Candidate; Political Parties and Elections" program, twelfth-grade students at Gardner Edgerton High School will work together in groups of five to create their own unique and original political party, party platform and fictional presidential candidate. Students with similar beliefs will form new political parties, conduct opinion polls within the community, determine important issues to be included in their platform and then construct their "perfect candidate" Wiki site, including background information on their presidential and vice presidential candidates. Selected members from the community and school faculty will join parents in viewing the completed student Web pages. Then, they'll vote for their preferred presidential candidate using an online survey program. This program will improve student learning by requiring them to apply knowledge of the U.S. political process. Students will gather information from a variety of sources, synthesize the information and develop an original product. Abromeit resides in Lawrence.

Phillip and Susan Thies (2008)

Gardner Elementary School
Gardner, KS

The "21st Century Reading: Everyone Exceeding Expectations" project will involve students in kindergarten through fourth grade at Gardner Elementary School. Utilizing a MP3 player and a Language Audio Card Reader, Thies will help students improve their reading comprehension and fluency. Through this program, students will read stories, record them on the computer and download them onto a MP3 player to take home so they can work on their reading skills with a parent. The Language Audio Card Reader, which benefits the growing population of English learning students, allows students to "scan" cards that, in turn, repeats their words. Thies plans to have a card reader at each student's home to help them learn new sight words and vocabulary. With its focus on improving reading comprehension and reading fluency, this access to technology will create a more educated school population which then extends to the whole community.

Florianne L. Woods (2008)

Derby High School
Derby, KS

Woods' "Cadet Teaching" program dispatches a 15-member Cadet Corp of third and fourth-year high school French students to as many as nine elementary schools to teach elementary conversational French to elementary school students in their district. This research-based process provides real-life practice to advanced language high school students to utilize their knowledge of foreign language. Cadet students create and organize flash cards, posters, games, songs, nursery rhymes and other elementary realia to aid in their teaching process. Students also plan lessons and schedule class time as part of their own language learning process. The "Cadet Teaching" project is not merely a "program" with an ending, but it is an intense teaching process with academic excellence in foreign language as its goal. For the elementary student, the Cadet Program is both exciting and motivational. For the high school participant, the program helps them strive for accuracy in their French communication skills. Woods is a resident of Mulvane.

Kimberly Brocks, Jonda Walter and Lori Schock (2007)

Hadley Middle School
Wichita, KS

The "Books Alive Book Club" strives to make memorable reading and literature experiences for seventh and eighth graders at Hadley Middle School. Brocks, along with her co-facilitators Walter and Schock, have a goal to get students actively reading and participating in discussion-style feedback opportunities with classmates. Each student will receive one book per month to begin their personal libraries. They will then conduct journal writing and visualization activities in addition to the discussions. Weekly extension activities will also keep the students involved and will include guest speakers, crafts, research and community service projects. Students will also participate in field trips to local universities, used book stores, museums and libraries. To encourage and continue reading in the home, students will secure newspaper subscriptions and library cards. Finally, Brocks wants parents involved in the effort by encouraging them to read the book of the month and attend after-school literary activities.

Christina Swedberg (2006)

Cleaveland Traditional Magnet School
Wichita, KS

Sharing the benefits of a quality music education with her students, Swedberg hopes to encourage success in other areas of their academics as well. The "Music Madness/Music Instruction Integrating Technology" program at Cleaveland Traditional Magnet School will use technology to assist students in reading, playing and composing music. Music technology instruction will be received once per week for 30 minutes throughout the school year. Students will participate in theory lessons and games to reinforce music skills, and play many pieces of music. Materials such as software, MIDI pianos, headphones and a laptop will be available for the students to use. Throughout the program, they will compose and arrange music within specific guidelines and perform instruments. The students will also learn to read and notate music. The goal is to provide them with a more balanced and comprehensive music curriculum, one that encourages the skills of all students. Swedberg resides in Wichita.

Linda Voelker (2005)

Indian Woods Middle School
Overland Park, KS

Voelker’s program, “The Reading and Writing Oasis Project” was developed with three key elements – books, furniture and laptop computers. All of these elements provide achievement and esteem, comfort for the body and food for the mind. Students will learn to question and evaluate what they read. The goals for the project go beyond literacy and comprehension – hoping to encourage students to develop a lifelong relationship with reading and writing. Voelker lives in Overland Park.

Julie Tipton (2004)

Nickerson High School
Nickerson, KS

Tipton’s “Biotech on the Brain” project uses biotechnology to teach all freshmen biology students Mendelian genetics, patterns of inheritance and the interaction of genes. Through inquiry-based experiments in an upgraded biology lab, students demonstrate an increased understanding of the genetic concepts of heredity, mutation and DNA structure. Students use PCR and electrophoresis techniques to extract and analyze DNA.

Lowell Ely (2003)

Inman High School
Inman, KS

Ely's "Technology Builds Future Leaders" project incorporates exciting new technology into the agricultural science program in a way that illuminates traditional classroom learning. Students benefit from using the latest technology, such as hand-held computers, to perform a variety of tests during science experiments - for example, students test ultraviolet lights, carbon dioxide levels and voltage. By mastering this new equipment, students gain the technological expertise necessary for post-secondary success. Students also learn to give presentations to faculty, visiting groups from local businesses and other students.

Anita Lundy (2003)

Washington High School
Kansas City, KS

Lundy's "CSI: Washington High" project is a hands-on learning experience that uses event based projects, in which students explore forensic chemistry and biotechnology through simulated crime scenes in their high school. Based in part on the popular television series CSI and CourtTV, the projects incorporate key scientific concepts and lab experiments into creative and interactive activities. Students investigate and solve "crimes" within the school through the use of scientific testing such as fingerprint identification and DNA evaluation. Students then present their evidence to the "district attorney" (an invited member of the Wyandotte District Attorney's office) during a public presentation in the school auditorium.

Jesse Jeffrey (2002)

Chautauqua Community Schools
Sedan, KS

Jeffrey's "Eating Smart for a Healthy Start" lets students research and implement a nutritional program to meet the needs of the student body and members of the community. Working with various community groups, students publish and distribute nutrition pamphlets to parents. Consulting with local health care providers and the senior citizen center, they use computer software to help seniors evaluate their dietary needs and intake and develop menus that will improve their health and wellness. Students enhance their computer skills, interact with people of all ages, cultures, and nationalities, and learn to make informed nutritional decisions that offer lifelong benefits.

Lakshmi Kambampati (2002)

Wichita High School
North Wichita, KS Kambampati's "Math by Slice" is a project in which teams composed of four ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) students each form and operate pizza companies inside the classroom. Students are asked to calculate the optimum shape of a pizza that makes eight equal slices and contains the proper ingredients for producing the most nutritious and cost-effective pizza. Students also determine how to slice the pizzas with minimum waste, chart nutrition values and calories per serving, and decide weight and toppings for the pizzas. The program shows the students real-life applications of mathematics in the operation of a small entrepreneurial business.

Linda Fadely (2001)

USD #286 Sedan Schools
Sedan, Kan.

Fadely's "S.T.O.P. the Violence" (Students Taking on Prevention) project curbs violence in the school and community by helping students recognize the various levels of violence affecting themselves and their peers. Through special events and activities, students explore the roots of violence and the steps involved in mediation. Posters, T-shirts, and baseball caps with positive messages are designed for the student body, and assemblies are held to raise awareness. The project is also aligned with the school's Big Brother and Big Sister programs to increase motivation and self-esteem.

Sheri Saner (2001)

South Hutchinson Grade School
South Hutchinson, Kan.

Saner's "Signs of Friendship" project is intended to develop the communication and social skills between students who are hearing impaired and their hearing peers. Through the project, general education classes are introduced to sign language, and learning groups are integrated to include both deaf and hearing students. The project employs a variety of activities (cooking, science experiments, art, etc.) to encourage teamwork and understanding between groups. The project helps all students to more easily accept those who are different from themselves and encourages students to explore alternate means of communication.

Norman Conard (2000)

Uniontown High School
Uniontown, KS

Conard's "Multi-Cultural Projects for Teaching Tolerance" give Social Studies students the opportunity to create a video about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Students perform all aspects of writing and producing, and then present the documentary to other classes in the district and civic groups in the community. In an innovative way, the project joins Uniontown High with the community in the process of learning about tolerance. The project develops students' research, technical, and communication skills while fostering creativity and compassion.

Mary Woods (2000)

Hays High School
Hays, KS

Woods' "Virtual Dream Vacation" project develops the technical skills of students with mild to moderate disabilities and physical handicaps. Students create computer slide shows depicting "dream vacation" sites and use various software programs to design postcards to send to family members. The finale is a slide-show presentation for administrators and invited guests. The project's collaborative aspects promote repetition and consistency, which are important in the learning process of many Special Education students.

Sistie Bender (1999)

Robinson Middle School
Wichita, KS

Bender's "Butterfly Garden" addresses the need to integrate technology, education, and the environment in a focused approach with specific measurable outcomes. In addition to improving math and science skills, students have an opportunity to perform a worthwhile community service when they volunteer to maintain the garden.

Lou Martino (1998)

Parsons High School
Parsons, KS

Martino's Kids Helping Kids project is different from most tutoring projects in that it uses at-risk high school students as the tutors for elementary school students. The program gave high school students a sense of belonging and purpose in school while also helping them build their own reading and math skills.

Texanna Ollenberger (1997)

Olathe East High School
Olathe, KS

Ollenberger's project brings young and old together in an intergenerational choir. Thirty-two high school choral students join together with thirty local seniors to give several performances per year. Students and seniors learn about each other, while developing mutually respectful relationships between the generations.

Marcia Bauerle (1996)

Sabetha Elementary School
Sabetha, KS

Bauerle's project created an outdoor classroom and wildlife area composed of plants and biotic communities native to northeast Kansas. The Bluejay Outdoor Learning Center provided students the opportunity to learn about nature and what the area contributes to the ecosystem. In service training sessions, lesson plans have been developed at the district level.

Brian Clyne (1996)

Auburn Elementary School
Auburn, KS

Clyne developed a "Flight School and Space Colony" program which explored the history of flight. Students then developed space colonies which helped them build concepts in math, science, and language using spatial, kinesthetic, and interpersonal applications.

Carol Panzer (1996)

Lakin Grade School
Lakin, KS

To improve the writing skills of her fifth-graders, Panzer introduced a weekly newsletter written by her students. The newsletter also served as a method of keeping parents informed about current activities in the classroom. Students were allowed to write about topics that interested them, and they gained research, proofreading, and editing skills in addition to improving their writing. The students also gained practical experiences by meeting deadlines and working in teams.

Kentucky

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Millie J. Blandford (2008)

Washington County High School
Springfield, KY

According to Blandford, "Science with ACTION (Aspiring Creative Teachers in Our Neighborhoods)" has the potential to impact hundreds of students and teachers at multiple grade levels. High school students involved in the project will develop motivating and entertaining travel shows that teach science concepts to peers and upper elementary and middle school students living inside and outside of the district. They also create three to five-minute video clips that teachers in the surrounding school districts can utilize in their own classrooms. The goals are to improve students' abilities to grasp physical science concepts and inspire them to pursue a career in education. It will also enable participants to get a head start in developing their teaching skills and prepare them for a successful career as a teacher. Blandford is a resident of Springfield.

Amanda L. Ratiff (2008)

Paintsville High School
Paintsville, KY

"Do What? - How Safe is My Water?" is an exploration of the dissolved oxygen (DO) content of local streams and water sources. In Eastern KY, where sewage service is limited and poorly regulated, many families resort to "straight piping" or pumping all sewage and waste products into local creeks or streams. This practice directly affects the water quality in the area. Activities from Ratliff's "Do What?" program will empower eight and ninth grade students to explore the study of acids and bases, chemical reactions, concentrations, environmental science and local social issues. Students will visit local streams throughout the course of the year to calculate dissolved oxygen levels, track and monitor certain streams at different times of day/year to see how sunlight and temperature affect DO and study stream organisms (such as daphnia) that are indicators of pollution. The culmination of this project will be an educational campaign to stop "straight piping" and to create an educational video to air on the local news, Web sites and pamphlets to educate others. Ratliff is a resident of West Van Lear.

Sue Prieskorn (2007)

Barren County High School
Glasgow, KY

Prieskorn, a physical education teacher at Barren County High School, will implement the "Feeling Good, Looking Great" program at her school to encourage students to participate in lifetime fitness, improve their self-esteem and body image and deter obesity. The local health department information shows that 30 percent of Barren County students are overweight, while the same is true for only 15 percent of students nationally. In this program, students will learn to make healthy choices as a part of their daily lifestyle. They will participate in exercises such as walking, biking, hiking, horseback riding, swimming and jumping rope. Prieskorn wants to reinforce to students that small everyday choices about their health can have a lifelong impact. The final goals of the project are to improve students' self-esteem and body image, increase their leisure time activity and improve body mass index (BMI) readings that measure physical fitness. She wants to give all of her students positive alternatives to unhealthy lifestyles. Prieskorn resides in Alvaton.

Suzanne Wadsworth (2007)

Dixie Heights High School
Edgewood, KY

In Wadsworth's "Growing Plants, Growing Minds" program, she uses the concepts of horticulture and growing plants to help Dixie Heights High School students gain a rich cross-curricular experience. The horticulture students will design and construct gardens on the school grounds that will be used as learning spaces. Students have already studied how to develop soil, grow seedlings, raise beds, produce compost and plan which items to grow. Other areas of the school's curriculum will have a stake in the program as well. Students in Business Information Technology will market and sell the plants and produce. Those in Visual Performing Arts and Media will use plants to create living art flower beds to replicate impressionist paintings and make natural dyes. The Law Education Health and Human Services students will grow herbs and vegetables for cooking and will study medical uses for plants. Finally, students in Science Technology Engineering and Math will study genetics and practice cross-pollination and seed harvesting. Ultimately, a greenhouse will be constructed at the school, which will make the program year-round. Wadsworth resides in Villa Hills.

Tonya Vowels (2006)

North Hardin High School
Radcliff, KY

Vowels' program, "Physics is Phun", opens the door to understanding for students by allowing them to design their own scientific investigations. Physics I is a requirement for the more than 300 ninth-grade students at North Hardin High School. In an effort to increase their interest in science, the program requires students to design customized experiments, test their ideas and draw conclusions about the particular topic of study. The goal of the program is to help break the cycle of poverty among students by better preparing them to enter post-secondary educational programs and be more competitive with their peers from other schools. By requiring students to take more ownership in the learning process, Vowels believes that more vital information is retained over a longer period of time. Both formal and informal assessments will be used to track student progress as each topic of study is completed. The effectiveness of the program will be determined by comparing the difference between pre- and post-assessment results in order to ensure that students have mastered the objectives for each unit of study. Vowels resides in Vine Grove.

Heather Key (2005)

Dann C. Byck Elementary School
Louisville, KY

Key believes that people should heed the warnings on heal th in this country, especially on obesity. To help reverse the alarming statistics, she created, “Tap into Fitness – Lifelong Learning for Health & Fitness,” to help improve the eating and exercise habits of the students at her school. The program, which engages both students and their families, helps students develop personal exercise plans, participate in daily exercise activities and track their progress in the areas of body measurement, weight and body fat, flexibility and strength, and endurance. The primary objective of the program is to help students make healthier choices regarding food and physical activity that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Key is a resident of Louisville.

Wayne Craft (2004)

Pulaski County High School
Somerset, KY

Craft’s “Acoustic Alchemy – The Math and Science of Lutherie” project involves the Math, Agriculture and Science Departments in lutherie, the repair of stringed instruments. Students learn to build acoustic instruments through the application of math skills and science concepts. Seventy percent of the school’s students scored below “proficient” on the 2003 Commonwealth Accountability Testing System in mathematics. This project provides an environment in which students apply math and science skills in a practical and tangible manner. In addition, community involvement provides an opportunity for students to meet regional luthiers and artists. This enriches students’ appreciation for the arts, culture and heritage.

Lisa Willian (2004)

Hart County High School
Munfordville, KY

Willian’s “Data Driven Learning” offers students the use of cutting-edge technology that caters to the unique needs of each student. Using a wireless system called the Classroom Performance System, students respond electronically to questions, providing immediate feedback to both the teacher and student. The wireless system helps students track common mistakes and teachers easily can identify students requiring further guidance and attention. It also allows students, particularly advanced learners, to accordingly pace their lesson plans. Additionally, all students take part in collaborative games that are not only fun, but also educational in nature.

Lillie Bentley (2003)

Fleming-Neon Elementary
Neon, KY

Bentley's "'No Child Left Behind'/Reading and Writing Project" helps students build a foundation for success. The program identifies students who need additional help with reading and writing skills, and gives them the extra attention they need, ensuring they are not left behind on the academic path to success. The project is also designed to develop a writing workshop for kindergarten through second grade students. This workshop provides students with the equipment, materials, teaching aids and technology to publish their writing. By giving students additional exposure to reading and writing, the program produces skillful writers who have an increased understanding of the writing process and a high comfort level with technology.

Joshua Underwood (2003)

Deming High School
Mt. Olivet, KY

Underwood's "GPS and You/Technology and Mapping" project helps students examine the connection between science and technology. By using GPS units, students learn to read maps, determine their locations on a map, pick a point on a map and physically find that point in the outside world. Students make topographic maps of a section of the school grounds and explore their local surroundings. Through this exposure to cutting-edge technology and the science behind it, this project teaches students who live in a rural area the skills to navigate and the freedom to explore without getting lost.

Kathleen Lemmons (2002)

Fort Thomas Independent Schools
Fort Thomas, KY

Lemmons' "Robot Revolution Coming Our Way" project promotes practical uses of math and science as students design, build, and program their own "Lego" robots. With an emphasis on teamwork, students build and program robot models, then modify the robots after putting them through a battery of tests. Students then design an informational brochure about their design. This project helps students develop an understanding of force and motion, mathematical reasoning, and problem solving. It also gives them a hands-on introduction to science and the opportunity to practice writing skills in a fun and creative environment.

Christi Allen (2001)

Ponderosa Elementary School
Catlettsburg, Ky.

Allen's "Drum Roles: Percussion in Diverse Cultures" is a social studies and music integration project that lets students explore music's role in various world cultures. Students learn, compose, and perform percussive rhythms on traditional and native instruments from Asia, Africa, and Central America. Students also increase understanding of world music and diverse cultures by studying the particular regions in depth and creating group multimedia presentations. The project also supports artisans from around the world since instruments are purchased through Just Creations, a program that benefits low-income craftspeople in developing countries.

Marcella Biles (2001)

Holmes High School
Covington, Ky.

Biles' "Career Portfolio" project develops career paths for high school seniors through the use of the Internet and other media. Students research careers they've selected and compile a career profile in the form of a computer slideshow presentation. Profiles identify details about the professions – e.g., training and higher education needed and geographical areas where the professions are in demand. Students also compose essays that critique their own qualifications and reflect on steps they will need to take in order to prepare for their "chosen" careers. The project helps prepare high school seniors for the critical career-related decisions they will most likely face after graduation.

Rosalind Hurley Richards (2000)

Yates Elementary School
Lexington, KY

Hurley Richards' "Fine Arts Literacy Cultural Center" introduces young students to classic literature and the fine arts. By exploring different literary genres, students are exposed to the greatest thinkers of every age and culture. The broad emphasis on fine arts teaches art history and culture, aesthetic perception, creative expression, and art criticism. Relevant field trips to museums, theatres, and concerts are included, along with hands-on workshops and labs. By encouraging reading, writing, and verbal discipline, the program improves students' test scores and their abilities to become stronger thinkers.

Robert Baar (1999)

Louisville Male High School
Louisville, KY

Barr's "Science Concepts" is designed to teach students the basics of chemistry by directly involving them in the teaching process. Students use computers to design their own multimedia presentations and web sites, presenting their science experiments in a non-traditional manner. In addition to chemistry, students learn how to program their own sites, design presentations, and communicate to a wide range of people.

Linda Witt (1998)

Owsley County High School
Booneville, KY

Witt's Classroom Creation project gave students the opportunity to manufacture and market their own products to local businesses. The students designed their own company logo and elected their own officers. They also receive a percentage of the profits which they reinvested into the company. The project taught students skills in helping make a transition into tech prep programs.

Harriet Biehle (1997)

Worthington School
Worthington, KY

Biehle's project is an ongoing association with the officers and crew of the USS Kentucky, a Trident nuclear submarine. Over the years, students have sent cards, letters, a Christmas tree, and a guardian angel to honor the Kentucky's crew. The sailors have responded by making visits to the school, tutoring pupils, constructing a school picnic shelter with tables, mounting and calibrating a sundial, and wiring the school for future Internet connections.

David Eakles (1996)

Lost River Elementary
Bowling Green, KY

By utilizing nearby Lost River Cave, Eakles provided meaningful experiences in science, writing, history, math, and reading and encouraged students to learn more about the cave's historical, geological, and ecological significance. Students collected data and conducted research that was incorporated into a variety of classroom experiences.

Lousiana

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Spencer C. Arnaud (2008)

Beau Chene High School
Breaux Bridge, LA

The goal of Arnaud's project is to improve student learning by building the curriculum around their questions and engaging them in meaningful learning experiences. His program, "Making Connections" is a literary project intended to help students become better thinkers and writers as a result of their reading experiences. Students will have access to high-interest novels and share their understanding with students who have similar interests. According to Arnaud, increased motivation to read will result in greater instances of sustained reading and knowledge building through discussion and application of ideas. The program impacts all stakeholders by providing high-interest books to students in a school that currently serves 51.5% economically disadvantaged students whose parents would otherwise struggle to pay for the number of hardcover books required to participate in the project. Arnaud resides in Breaux Bridge.

Carey B. Lavergne (2008)

Loreauville High School
Loreauville, LA

The goal of Lavergne's project is to educate students on the daily food recommendations to become healthy teens, teach healthy cooking methods and portions and provide an opportunity for students to showcase local culinary arts of the Louisiana region. Her program "Tasty Treats for Teens" helps students evaluate favorite desserts, side dishes and snack foods to decide how to make "healthier" versions of them. Healthier recipes for these munchies will be presented to the student body in a taste test. The approved food will be compiled in a cookbook for distribution to other students and high schools in the area. Lavergne notes that there are "a lot of health programs out there for the obese child or unfit adult, but teens seem to fall through the cracks." Her project, which will use the USDA's Food Pyramid Web site to calculate the daily requirements that teens need to keep their bodies healthy will address this issue. Lavergne is a resident of Lafayette.

Christy P. Wiebelt (2008)

Slidell High
Slidell, LA

The "Tradition Touching Today" project is an idea that Wiebelt, a broadcasting teacher at Slidell High, developed to document the commemoration of 100 years of the school's history. The ING award will allow the communications academy students to acquire video and digital cameras, computer equipment and production resources needed to capture the happenings that will be part of media press kits, yearbook content and marketing projects. Students will conduct in-depth research to show how life has changed over the years. It will be conveyed through pictures, interviews and written stories. Oral histories dating back to the 1930s will be captured in documentaries for students and community members to view. Highlights will include clothing, cars, entertainment, major events and life at Slidell High from each period. The goal for Wielbelt's project is to inform the student body of changes that have occurred over the past 100 years within the school and the community. Wiebelt lives in Slidell.

Christina Verberne (2007)

Loranger High School
Loranger, LA

Fighting childhood obesity is the premise behind Verberne's "Project HEALTH", which stands for High School and Elementary Achieving Lifestyles That Are Healthy. In this project, 10th grade biology students at Loranger High School will learn about the human body and how exercise and a healthy diet will affect them. From their findings, they will then teach fourth graders at a local school about making healthy eating choices to live an improved life. The high school and elementary school students will ultimately collaborate to develop healthy living ads that will be posted in schools and the community to promote awareness of health habits. The goal of the project is to make sure that students understand the importance of their bodies at a young age and that they learn how their studies apply to help them maintain their health. Verberne resides in Kentwood.

Ellen Marino (2006)

Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, LA

It is often hard to see how science and math fit into our lives. Marino has designed a program called "Calculating the Data" that will help her sixth-graders use high-tech devices and discover the connection between science, mathematics, and real-life. Using such technology as Calculator-Based Laboratory 2 and the Calculator-Based Ranger will take students at Mandeville Middle School beyond what they are usually exposed to in the classroom. These devices, connected to graphing calculators, can collect real-life data such as the motion of a rolling cart. The calculators also help students analyze the data. Students will collect authentic data using probes in conjunction with their math and/or science class at least once every two weeks. Another class within the same district will collect data and both groups will share information by collaborating on-line. The teachers of each class will meet once a month to develop additional activities. A total of 50 students will gain a curiosity for learning about math, science and build networking skills. Marino resides in Mandeville.

Andrea Starnes (2006)

Lake Harbor Middle School
Mandeville, LA

The impact of Hurricane Katrina was felt in many aspects of life in Southeast Louisiana. The storm, though devastating, has actually created a learning environment for a science class at Lake Harbor Middle School. Starnes and her 25 students will participate in the "Interacting in the Wetlands" program. This will provide them with the opportunity to study life in the wetlands by playing the role of scientists using computers. With assistance from the Disappearing Wetlands Unit from the JASON Education Foundation, students will read research articles on the plant, animal, human and natural factors that build and destroy the wetlands. Also, students will use the computers to access digital labs to build and destroy wetlands, select wetlands restoration projects, and manipulate the conditions of plant and animal life in the area. They will also view water samples and microscopic plant and animal life. For the students, this project reinforces the protection of wetlands in hurricane-prone areas. Starnes resides in Mandeville.

Michael St. Pierre (2006)

South Lafourche High School
Galliano, LA

St. Pierre developed "Computer Architecture Learn & Serve" to help salvage old computers and computer parts. Students at South Lafourche High School refurbish donated computers and parts and put them back into working circulation in classrooms, libraries, and community-based programs as well as homes of children in such programs as ESL (English as a Second Language) and special education. While participating in the project, students learn hands-on skills that prepare them to take the A+ certification right out of high school. They are learning a skill that can prepare them for a salaried job as a computer technician after finishing high school. St. Pierre resides in Cut Off.

Rebekah Ellis (2005)

Ascension Day School
Lafayette, LA

Ellis’ winning program idea, “Writing in the Third Mind,” incorporates the visual and written arts to stimulate the minds of students. Based on the belief by novelist William Burroughs that the connection between writing and visual arts activates the ‘Third Mind’ – a catalyst for the creative process – the program teaches students to write using works of art. Through a collaboration of two schools, students from Ascension Day School and Immaculate Heart of Mary are encouraged to use their imaginations and participate in activities that enrich their vocabulary and language skills and help them find their “voice” when writing. Local artists will be invited to help students create their own art and the students will visit museums and festivals for exploration. The goals of the program are to improve students’ writing skills and appreciation for literature, improve test scores and boost their self-esteem. Ellis lives in Lafayette.

Rebecka Rocquin (2005)

Loranger High School
Loranger, LA

Rocquin’s winning program idea, “Big Science for Little Hands,” partners biology students at Loranger High School with students at a local elementary and middle school. Tenth grade students plan and present science-inquiry laboratory experiments to fourth and seventh grade science students where the younger students hypo thesize, test and draw conclusions about a particular field of life science. Each semester, approximately 60 tenth graders work in groups of three with 90 fourth grade students and 90 seven th grade students. Each group presents three science inquiry activities in order to successfully complete the Biology I class. Rocquin believes that one of the most effective ways to learn a concept is to teach it to someone else. Her program provides students with a powerful connection between what they have learned and how they can share it with o thers. The ultimate goal of the project is for the students to become scientifically literate and responsible citizens. Rocquin is a resident of Albany.

Raynelle Stanage (2005)

Apollo Elementary
Bossier City, LA

As part of a “Music Memory Project,” Stanage helped with a resurgence of a nationwide music memory effort from the 1920’s and 30’s. She saw that the school needed to expand the program to involve the entire district to keep the course going. She plans to train teachers from 13 o ther Bossier Parish elementary schools on how to start their own programs. The program uses music to improve listening skills while teaching history and geography. The school’s 4th and 5th grade students will receive 12-15 music listening lessons over the course of the year, covering a broad variety of genres. Listening maps charting the progression of a musical piece will be created for students to follow along and learn basic musical elements. Teachers will also share biographical information on the composer, geographic information, historical influences and musical terminology. At the end of the year, students will participate in a music recognition test, culminating with a final citywide competition. In addition to meeting the objectives of the Louisiana Arts Content standards for music, the goal of the program is to bring exposure to the important role of music in the overall learning process. Stanage resides in Shreveport.

Cheryl Bruton (2004)

Franklinton High School
Franklinton, LA

Bruton’s “How Clean Is Our Air” service learning project lets students apply the air quality testing skills they gain in the classroom to assess the air quality of the Parish. Throughout the entire school year, students work in teams to test four separate sites for six various gases at the Parish each week. Beyond studying the air quality of the Parish itself, students analyze possible contributing factors. Based on the information obtained, each student designs a brochure to address the quality of air at the Parish and the possible consequences of poor air quality. Students present their final results to the Town Council and other science classes. This project allows students to better understand the impact of pollution in their community, become active community citizens and evaluate the relationship between individual action and environmental health.

Debra Coleman (2004)

Bonella A. St. Ville Elementary School
Harvey, LA

Coleman’s “WRITE ON! (Writing, Reading, and Integrated Technology Enhances Our kNowledge!)” project is designed to enhance student achievement in reading, writing and technology skills through the use of books, puppets and technology. WRITE ON! engages fourth grade students in reading and writing by having them read several fiction and nonfiction books, followed by a comprehension assessment test. Based on the information gained from the literature review, each student develops an original story and outlines it in a storyboard for use with puppets. As students act out their stories with puppets, pictures are taken for use in a PowerPoint version of the story. In turn, the electronic format of the story can be converted to video, posted on the school’s Web site and shared with family, school and community members. In producing the stories, students exercise and advance their literary skills.

John C. Hoyle (2004)

Buras High School
Buras, LA

Hoyle’s project, “Louisiana’s Vanishing Coast: Educating Our Community with the Web,” teaches Web design while educating students and the community about Louisiana’s coastal erosion and what can be done to stop it. The school is located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, and according to the Army Corps of Engineers, in three decades it could be swallowed by the Gulf of Mexico if coastal erosion isn’t slowed. Fifty high school students work on this project as part of a Web design class; in addition, 10 other students take field trips to erosion sites to take pictures. Students learn Web page design, Java script programming, researching techniques, data analysis, photography and writing as well as activism and civic awareness.

Tammy Cecil (2003)

Anacoco High School
Anacoco, LA

Cecil's "Fitness for Life" project is a fitness program that helps students develop the knowledge, skills and habits necessary to lead a healthy and physically productive adult life. After taking measurements such as body weight, composition and dimension, students begin a designated fitness program and chart their activity. Students set weekly goals and keep individual charts and records to note their progress. In addition to walking and outside activities, exercise machines also are available. This program develops lifelong health habits and a commitment to healthy living by improving students' self-esteem and physical fitness.

Dee Ann Hasse (2003)

Slaughter Elementary
Slaughter, LA

Hasse's "L.O.V.I.N.G Science (Learning Outdoors Via Innovative Natural Gardens)" for grades K-5 enhances students' exploration of science concepts both in and out of the classroom. Incorporating a centrally located resource closet and outdoor classroom, the goal of this program is twofold: to meet students' needs for hands-on experience and to utilize an outdoor field study area. For example, students can watch a video on the lifecycle of a frog and then move outdoors to a pond area to witness development from a tadpole to an adult. With each new concept, teachers and students actively participate as co-learners. This unique outdoor classroom facilitates in-depth, hands-on investigation and discovery.

Kitty Hoffman (2003)

Medard H. Nelson
New Orleans, LA

Hoffman teamed up with fellow educators Evelyn Compton, Kylynn Boissiere, Melanie McCain and Lois Jones to create the "Lending Library," which makes high interest books available to students. These books are stocked on bookshelves in the school hallways and are available to students without a checkout system. This program recognizes the importance of improving reading achievement among the student population and encourages students to read outside of school. The Lending Library helps improve students' attitudes about reading and positively affects the community by teaching the children greater self-sufficiency as they enter the adult world.

Kathryn Istre (2003)

Dolby Elementary
Lake Charles, LA

Istre's "Vanishing History" is a Community Outreach Project that gives gifted fourth and fifth grade students the opportunity to visit, research and photograph endangered historical sites within their community. This hands-on project allows students to collaborate with local professionals including a historian, photographer, author, reporter, and many others. Students also visit the Genealogy Branch of the library and the Archives Department of the local university to research records and primary sources. Students work as mathematicians, scientists, historians, photographers, detectives, reporters and artists to develop skills needed in the future workplace while also getting a broader sense of the world.

Kay Johnson (2003)

Le Bleu Settlement Elementary
Lake Charles, LA

Johnson's "Lights, Camera, Understanding" project incorporates language arts, creative writing, research and technology to help her special education students learn. The students, in grades K-5, invite community members into their class to discuss their professions, research questions to ask the speakers, use digital cameras to film the visit, and create an infomercial and PowerPoint presentations to show the rest of the school. Through the project, these students develop higher-order thinking skills, build self-confidence, and gain an understanding of technology. Although the modalities used and the time taken to work on these projects may differ from the regular education population, these special education students are able to prove that they can succeed against the odds.

Daniel Lindow (2003)

Buras Middle School
Buras, LA

Lindow's "'Gifted' to 'Special'/Students Helping Students" project consists of gifted and special needs students meeting together once a week in the school library to learn strategy games like chess, Ultimate Stratago, Quoridor Classic, Go and others. Meetings consist of 30-minutes of hands-on instruction supported with either a video lesson or lesson related reading in the students' game booklets, whole class demonstrations and small group peer practice. Throughout the year, volunteers who are masters of the various games will come in for special demonstrations and instruction. These games teach students patience, foresight, long-range planning and the desire to apply oneself - characteristics that lead to academic improvement and improved behavior and success in school.

Cynthia Murray (2003)

Covington High School
Covington, LA

Murray's "Paw Prints: A Hands-On Approach" project creates a print shop business run by students. A CEO and a Board of Directors are elected to oversee the business and make important decisions. Each week students rotate to different work stations where they learn to operate different types of equipment and perfect software skills. Students also create a portfolio of the samples they design and use this tool to market their products. This project develops student leadership, self-esteem, dependability, responsibility and teamwork. In addition, this business provides a valuable printing service to the school and the community.

Kim Dreher (2002)

West Feliciana Middle School
St. Francisville, LA

Dreher's "P.O.N.D. - Purposeful Opportunities for Natural Discovery: A Living Lab" is a collaborative project in which students use a natural pond on the school's campus as an ecological field laboratory. Students conduct field research such as planting trees to prevent erosion, measuring tree circumferences, taking soil samples, monitoring birds through live video cameras, and making natural dyes from plants. Trails provide access to a butterfly and historical dye garden, tree identification area, and plant, water, and animal collection areas. Through their experiences the students become environmental stakeholders who enhance the ecosystem of the school and the community.

Maryanne Smith (2002)

Lake Harbor Middle School
Mandeville, LA

Smith's "Leo's Lab - An Interactive Classroom/School-Based Children's Museum" is a project in which fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students use computer technology to research and create a museum dedicated to the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci. Among many other activities, students create timelines, design banners, import pictures, create computer presentations, set up schedules, create advertisements, and eventually serve as docents to the museum. By crossing the disciplines of science, mathematics, language arts, social studies, and art, the project offers rich instructional tasks that connect various threads of learning.

Sabra Soileau (2002)

Moss Bluff Middle School
Lake Charles, LA

Soileau's "Louisiana LINKS (Language Instruction for New Knowledge Skills)" is a project in which seventh-graders gather information about Louisiana culture through field trips and on-site research, interviews with community members, and digital photography and compose articles that are collected in the Louisiana LINKS Ledger, a print and online publication. Through daily writing exercises students develop stronger language and writing skills and gain confidence in their ability to express themselves. In addition, using technology in the writing and publication process makes the learning environment more student-centered and helps remove barriers for students with learning disabilities.

Rochelle Waggenspack (2002)

Lake Elementary
St. Amant, LA

Waggenspack's "Flower Frenzy Landscaping" is a project in which fifth- through eighth-graders work with a local landscaper to beautify the school's recess area. After measuring the area to be landscaped and determining what plants would be appropriate for the climate, students present their findings in a slide show. Through their presentations and research, the students hone their English skills and see how all academic areas are interconnected and relate to real-world problem solving. And the resulting courtyard can be used as an outdoor learning center where students can investigate plant biology, compose poems or essays about their surroundings, or simply relax and study.

Marilyn Baker (2001)

Saline High School
Saline, La.

Baker's "Searching for the Future" project has students working collaboratively to research the various careers they may be interested in pursuing. After writing research papers individually, they work as groups again to create a computer slideshow presentation – containing information they've gathered from their research – for peers, teachers, administrators, and members of the school board. In addition to exploring career options, the project helps students develop valuable research and computer skills and gain public speaking experience.

Suzanne Buras (2001)

Lake Harbor Middle School
Mandeville, La.

Buras' "Tales of a Fourth Grade Entrepreneur" project teaches students fundamental skills in a real-life context by having them manage classroom "businesses" that they create themselves. Students plan stores and stock them with items such as pens, pencils, and student-made greeting cards, calendars, and coloring books. They learn to formulate job descriptions, use a cash register, calculate taxes and discounts, make change, keep inventory, monitor costs, and maintain ledgers. They also decide how "profits" can be used to buy supplies or equipment for the school. In addition to math skills, the project enhances teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.

Cathleen Hightower (2001)

Benjamin Franklin Senior High School
New Orleans, La.

Hightower's "Techmobile: A Tool for Teaching and Learning" project makes an impact on K-12 students as it introduces and integrates technology into different classrooms. In an effort to bridge "the digital divide," Techmobile, a mobile laptop computer lab, brings technology-enhanced learning to students and teachers in elementary and middle schools throughout Orleans Parish. The Benjamin Franklin students who oversee the lessons undergo intensive training to become effective tutors and target strategies for incorporating computers into the classroom. As it makes technology available to hundreds of students who may not have access otherwise, the project develops teaching and teamwork skills and builds rapport among varied age groups.

Stacey Russell (2001)

Broadmoor Middle School
Shreveport, La.

Russell's "Project Pride" program is designed to promote ethical and critical thinking, effective communication, and the importance of teamwork, respect, and integrity. Each month, students discuss and investigate a particular character trait through a variety of lessons and videos. Further character lessons are learned through reading, and interpreting, and discussing novels and their themes. Students also become members of the "Traveling Thespians," who write and perform short plays that demonstrate to students of other schools moral lessons and the importance of respecting one another.

Brenda Mounier (2000)

Woodvale Elementary School
Lafayette, LA

Mounier's "Bonjour, L'Histoire" project strives to keep Cajun culture alive for students and fill in some of the gaps left in textbooks. The project involves students in developing instructional materials on Cajun heritage to use in Social Studies classes in Lafayette and throughout Louisiana. Other activities designed to increase awareness and understanding of this rich culture include creating historical murals, videos, and a visual and performing arts presentation for the community. By integrating history, art, and foreign language, the project increases academic achievement.

Bobbie Payne (2000)

Grace Episcopal School
Monroe, LA

Payne's "Hear Ye, Hear Ye" project is a historical exploration of the Middle Ages. Young students choose from a list of topics pertaining to medieval life and research them in preparation for oral presentations. Other activities include compiling a medieval dictionary with illustrations, giving book reviews, creating an assortment of art objects relating to everyday life in the Middle Ages, and a Medieval Feast. The project improves student learning by teaching basic research skills at an early age and integrating core subjects with enrichment classes.

Linda Gatlin (1999)

Northshore High School
Slidell, LA

Gatlin's "Biobuddy BioFest" teams high school biology with junior high students. The high school science mentors review and edit the science journals of the junior high students that contain conclusions and other data from experiments completed in class. The project culminates in a BioFest produced by the high school students for the community. In addition to providing leadership opportunities for the older students that applies to their learning, it promotes science at the junior high level.

Pamela Quebodeaux (1999)

Dobly Elementary
Lake Charles, LA

Quebodeaux's "Lights, Camera Kids" project gives students the opportunity to produce their own morning news broadcasts for the whole school. The students research, write and film the programs themselves. The project helps the students develop their writing, listening and speaking skills while providing the whole school a source for important information.

Linda Young (1999)

Mary D. Coghill Elementary
New Orleans, LA

Young's "Africana Marketplace" project teaches students basic math and accounting skills, while at the same time helping them explore the culture of Africa. Students design their own African crafts which they then sell in a market. Using calculators, students keep track of what they sell and buy from other students.

Mary Henson (1998)

Fontainebleau High School
Mandeville, LA

Henson's project, The Dawg Pound Treats, Inc. provided students skills they needed to run their own business. Students marketed and sold their product through local business partners and in local neighborhoods. Local business leaders served as advisors to the student operation. In addition, students were required to apply for positions in the company, which taught them valuable resume and interviewing skills.

Kerry Laster (Ph.D) (1997)

Shreve Island Elementary School
Shreveport, LA

Laster's project, Reading Rescue, is an intervention program for educationally challenged students which provides supplemental reading and writing instruction. The program allows a reading specialist to work with students each day, using children's literature, manipulatives, and audio tape to design lessons which meet individual needs.

Cherice Nelson (1997)

Oretha Castle Haley Elementary School
New Orleans, LA

Nelson's project, The Haley Story Quilt Project, is a two-year writing and creative arts initiative which heightens student writing skills and understanding of environmental concerns. Students learn to tell stories via journal writing, poetry, song, dance, drawing, and beading. Student writings and drawings will become the basis for professionally bound library books, a beaded quilt, a book of poetry, and original songs.

Theresa Currie (1996)

Tchefuncte Middle School
Mandeville, LA

Currie's "Family Math Night" brought students, teachers, and parents together to provide a positive math experience. Not only did the project boost students' confidence, it also helped eliminate what Currie called "math-phobia" in adults. Based on literature and themes such as the Olympics, students and parents developed problem-solving skills and associated math with everyday, practical experiences.

Sue Paul (1996)

J.S. Slocum Elementary
Pineville, LA

Paul's innovative Family Learning Center (FLC) allowed families to use educational materials and equipment otherwise reserved for classroom use. Located in the school library, the FLC supplied games, flash cards, books, tapes, videos, and other supplies for checkout. Parents used the items to help educate their children with tools that were not cost-prohibitive. It increased family learning and children gained responsibility for the safe return of the materials used.

John Swang (1996)

Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, LA

Swang developed the National Student Research Center (NSRC). The NSRC is an electronic network of science mentors and an electronic library of student research and journals. Students throughout the world are able to conduct in-depth studies of science by using the research materials available through the NSRC. By researching the Internet and communicating with other students and mentors, students gain more information than they would in a classroom alone.

Glenda White (1996)

A.E. Phillips Laboratory School
Ruston, LA

White's innovative "Building Bridges" program spanned four grade levels by using parental involvement and partnership learning and unconventional methods in teaching math, science, writing, and computer skills. Students were teamed with others of different ages to enhance learning and collaboration. Parents, community leaders, and others were enlisted for their expertise and talents in predetermined areas.

Maine

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Mary A. Lee (2008)

Cheverus High School
Portland, ME

"Haiti Solidarity Club: Sustainable Giving Project" is a program developed by Lee, a theology teacher at Cheverus High School, to promote learning about the economies of developing countries and ways for students to contribute to the easing of global poverty. Lee's project provides student/club members with one feasible, self-sustaining solution - micro loans. Students research and learn about lending small sums of money to aspiring entrepreneurs in the Dominican Republic and Haiti to help individuals break the cycle of dependency. Participants develop compassion and solidarity for the developing world and become future investors in ways that are self-sustaining. Information about micro-loaning institutions is presented as well as success stories and simple concrete ideas about how to get involved. This program also teaches the club's 65 members and the 200 students affected by the project about the challenges of starting a small business in the developing world, while creating solidarity with the loan recipients. Thus, students in the Cheverus "Haiti Solidarity Club Micro-Loan Project" will learn the importance of sustainable giving for the rest of their lives. Lee resides in Portland.

Deb L. Rosa and Rachel White (2008)

Sanford Junior High
Sanford, ME

After learning about the consequences of food waste, Sanford Junior High students created a fictional company called "Waste-Busters LLC". The company's goals are to observe practices, record findings, analyze data and take action regarding school cafeteria food waste. Seventh and eight grade students discuss the consequences of food waste and its impact on the school, the local community and globally. They are learning about the science of composting and the replication of nature's natural system of breaking down materials. They've designed and built compost bins for their school and will use compost to plant vegetables, flowering plants, bushes and trees in the school and the community. Students will design and build a Full Circle "Green Foot-Print Walking Path" with informational signs on how food waste can come "full circle" by being recycled into compost and helping in the growth of plants and vegetables. This project not only raises students' level of awareness, but it also prepares them to become "Waste-Buster Activists" for life.

Hope Hall (2007)

Thornton Academy
Saco, ME

Hall's "Meeting In the Middle" website brings together two countries on opposite sides of the world, Cambodia and the United States. She plans to develop a website geared to middle school teachers and students that discusses life in Cambodia. Hall's visit to Cambodia in 2005 allowed her to interact with girls who were enrolled in school for the first time. She wanted to share the experiences of the face-to-face meetings she had with Cambodian families and the newly-enrolled girls. She visited Cambodia again this past summer with her 12-year-old daughter, who will offer input on the website. The goal is to create an interactive and thought-provoking site that gives an authentic Cambodian perspective to teachers and students for free. Some of the site's features may include a time difference clock, maps, video clips of Cambodian children, a list of books about Cambodia, teacher resources and a blog where students in each country can ask questions. The site will be in development during Fall 2007. Hall resides in Cumberland.

Ann Hemming (2006)

Bath Middle School
Bath, ME

Hemming's "Business is Bloomin at BMS - Plant Seedling Project" will enhance student learning by introducing them to entrepreneurship with start-up plant seedling businesses. In addition to learning about the science of plant growth, students at Bath Middle School will come face-to-face with the challenges and rewards of owning a business. They will learn how to advertise their business, balance profits, manage overhead and other recurring costs as well as learn how taxes affect the economics of their budget. Profits from the mini-businesses will be donated to charities in the area and leftover seedlings will be given to organizations that grow food for the hungry. Students will apply the scientific method to experiment and discover the ways to yield the best seedlings. Based on those findings, they will also create a tips sheet containing recipe and nutrition information. The grant will go to the completion of a greenhouse to be used over the course of the project. The school's 160 seventh-grade students will directly benefit, and the program will lay the foundation for future classes to learn similar principles. Hemming resides in Gardiner.

Allison Villani (2006)

Portland High School
Portland, ME

Villani's "My Life" program will link 15-25 ESL (English as a Second Language) students' life stories with writers, documentarians and book artists to give their experiences a voice. The student population at Portland High School is diverse, with students speaking 57 different languages and hailing from 32 different countries. With diversity comes the need for understanding and acceptance. This project will help break down barriers between students so they can begin to learn and share with each other. Villani's project has three elements composed of five in-class writing workshops, book-making classes and public readings. Over the course of learning and sharing more about themselves, students will learn how written words work with art to tell a story as well as learn what career options are available in writing and illustration. Their final presentations will be shared at Reiche Elementary School and the Portland Library, giving students a chance to inspire and encourage younger immigrant youth with their stories. Villani resides in Portland.

Peter Loiselle (2005)

Surry Elementary School
Surry, ME

In the “Freaky Friday/Mentoring, Physical and Health Awareness” program, Loiselle partners with fellow teacher Lynn Bonsey and school nurse Donna Coleman to provide a health and fitness curriculum for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. The students in the program present nutrition and fitness lessons and complete hikes at Acadia National Park. They also get the opportunity to learn to snowshoe, an opportunity many of them would not have otherwise. Several of the students at the school are obese or at risk of becoming overweight and the snowshoes will allow them to take advantage of Maine ’s winter activities. Also, because snowshoeing is a proud Maine heritage, students will literally be able to explore their state. The program is intended to eventually expand school wide, using middle school students as mentors to the younger children. Loiselle lives in Ellsworth.

Julie York (2005)

South Portland High School
South Portland, ME

York’s program, “SPHS News: From Kids to the Community,” will be a weekly news broadcast that will showcase student work and achievements as well as general school information. The plan is to engage a variety of disciplines. First, a video studio will have to be built. Students in video production will design a studio that is multipurpose for both the news broadcasts, as well as other student videos. Second, students in wood tech will help build and create the studio. Finally, after the studio is created it will be used to create weekly news broadcasts regarding student achievements, community news, high school news, club activities and sports highlights. The broadcasts will then be aired on local educational access Channel 3 for the entire community to see. A website to accompany the project is also planned. York lives in Buxton.

Ami Amero (2004)

Forest Hills High School
Jackman, ME

Amero’s “Economics: Raising the Bar” program involves student participation in a stock market simulation game provided by the Maine Council on Economic Education. Students research, buy and sell stocks and draft stock analysis based on current events. They learn economics and math, develop research, analytical and writing skills, and increase their awareness of financial markets and related literature. This small, rural school doesn’t offer an Economics or a Business Math class, but the project gives students a background in these areas through the stock market simulation.

Linda Pritchard (2004)

Freeport Middle School
Freeport, ME

Pritchard, along with the other members of her seventh and eighth grade teaching team, created the "Movement, Team Teaching" project. The program emphasizes the theme of "movement" in the study of the history and geography of their hometown. The eighth grade unit integrates language arts, science, social studies, life skills, technology and art as approaches for researching Freeport's past and present, and outlining its future. The unit crosses generations by encouraging the use of technology for research, while also giving students the opportunity to examine original documents at the historical society, interview members of the community and visit historical sites. By immersing themselves in the movement of Freeport and the growth of the town, students gain an appreciation for the past and current functioning of the town and make stronger connections to their community and its members.

Stacey Shorey (2002)

Manson Park School
Pittsfield, ME

Shorey's "Making Connections Around the World - Passports for Cinderella" is a multicultural experience and technology integration project in which K-1 students connect with high school students from around the world via telecommunications and laptop computers. The high schoolers make presentations about their countries, explain their traditions, teach the students basic words, share a favorite snack and enact a reader's theater using the folk tale Cinderella. The students also write to students their own age around the world and create their own Web site. This helps them integrate technology, reading, and writing, and builds knowledge of other cultures.

Sharon Gallant (2001)

Gardiner Regional Middle School
Gardiner, Maine

Gallant's "C.L.U.E." (Children's Literature Undeniable Effects) project increases sixth graders' understanding of science by using children's literature to improve comprehension. Scientific relevance is created through an "interwoven text" method, using pairs and sets of texts that explore common themes. The resulting synthesis leads to inquiry-based exploration that allows students to better conceptualize and comprehend. By turning a science lab into a literature-rich classroom, the project helps students develop cognitive strategies and relate them to the standard science curriculum.

Richard Lord (2001)

Presque Isle High School
Presque Isle, Maine

Lord's "Ecosystem Experience" project is a year-long ecological research, inquiry, and communications program. Using print and electronic media, groups of students gather and analyze information about nature, and then build their own "mini-ecosystem." For eight months, students document their daily observations and complete more than a dozen short-term activities that allow them to present their findings to the class. At the end of the eight-month period, groups compile their findings in a bound portfolio that is kept in the school's biology laboratory for future reference.

Cyrene Slegona (2001)

Cornish Elementary School
Cornish, Maine

Slegona's "Bugs: How Do They Do It?" project combines the disciplines of life science and engineering as students study insects and build mechanical models of them. Initially, students observe insect life cycles and analyze insect movement. Then students go to work building increasingly efficient insect scale models, keeping a journal of their progress and findings in the process. Over the course of the project, students learn and practice science, math, and visual arts concepts, while gaining valuable research and writing experience. Students also act as mentors and assistants to partner classrooms that are introducing engineering tasks to their students.

Deena Mayo-Bruns (2000)

Edward Little High School
Auburn, ME

Mayo-Bruns' "School to Work" project helps high school seniors identify career pathways and gain experience interacting with adults in various vocational areas. By using e-mail and other "paperless" avenues provided by the Internet, students are paired with mentors in the field of their choice, "job shadowing" them when feasible and remaining in regular contact. Knowledge of career opportunities is increased, with emphasis on developing computer literacy skills relevant to today's job market. Opportunities for higher education are also explored.

Cindy Porter-McLaughlin (1999)

Brewer High School
Brewer, ME

Porter-McLaughlin's "Outdoor Education" is an alternative to regular physical education. Special units are developed on hiking, climate camping, orienteering, map reading and geology. Students gain an awareness of what the state's outdoors have to offer and are given opportunities to take a risk or accept a challenge to broaden their horizons.

Mary Graham (1998)

Zippel Elementary
Presque Isle, ME

Graham's project, From Raw to Manufactured, gave students a look into the forests and timber industry of Maine. Students looked at the importance of the forests to both their local economy and to a healthy environment. Students researched products produced by the timber industry in their state and then designed and produced their own.

Rebecca Skilling (1997)

Sherwood Heights School
Auburn, ME

Skilling's project, All Schools Arts Day, infuses the arts into academic curriculum and enables students to learn through their senses and apply it to their lives. Seven groups of three teachers develop a theme and activities for each day. Art activities range from creative play to arts and crafts to music and movement. Students choose two options from seven themes and work on their selected activities in multi-graded groups.

Jessica Harrington (1996)

Center Drive School
Orrington, ME

Harrington's project took middle school students outside the traditional classroom and immersed them in cooperative scientific research. In partnership with the Maine Audubon Society, the University of Maine, and others in the community, students explored land in Orrington that supported a diverse ecosystem. Students mapped the area, documented environmental changes, and researched the history of the area as part of Harrington's ecological classroom.

Brenda Meehan (1996)

Brewer Middle School
Brewer, ME

Meehan created the "Cruise Project" designed to improve math skills. To demonstrate the need for math skills in real life situations, students planned a cruise vacation within a specific budget. Using percentages, addition, subtraction, division, and problem solving, they developed budgets, a balance sheet, a checkbook, and other financial information. The students used their research and geography skills.

Maryland

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Lisa M. Bender (2008)

Southern Garrett High School
Oakland, MD

If Bender has her way, "Making Students Future Ready" will turn her classroom into a business center for students. A typical day will include students attending financial literacy lectures then heading over to the Traders Desk to check stock portfolios in real time and stopping in the Apprentice Area to engage in online business simulation scenarios. The following day, students will work in the Podcast Center to maintain weekly business journals as they tune into podcasts about business financials. Finally, they will enter the Mini-Production Studio to create video public service announcements to share over the school television network so their peers can learn about money management. By creating this financial literacy suite, Bender hopes to educate and excite students about financial literacy and create an atmosphere that focuses on "Making Students Future Ready" for tomorrow's workforce.

Morag J. Bradford and Marnee Keith (2008)

Harlem Park Elementary School
Harlem Park Middle School
Baltimore, MD

Exploring cultures and teaching tolerance is at the heart of Bradford and Keith's visual arts program, "Worldview". In this cross-curricular program, students learn about global societies with particular attention paid to the visual and performing arts, including the legacies of famous individuals and governing principles. Following last year's pilot program, "Worldview: France," kindergarten through eighth-grade students at Harlem Park Elementary and Middle Schools will focus on India for the 2008-2009 school year. "Worldview: India" will consider the country's visual and performing arts, the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and the principles of non-violence, with connections made to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will participate in a letter exchange program, study dance and music, practice yoga to enhance self-awareness and focus, fundraise for selected charities and host a cultural fair in the community. Worldview's comprehensive program will establish the concept that art and culture are integral aspects of politics, history and character development. The resulting change in students' world views will enhance their abilities to see similarities in certain circumstances facing people around the world, encourage empathy for different people and increase understanding of beliefs that may not be their own.

Ellen Vikestad (2008)

Harlem Park Elementary School
Claremont High School
Baltimore, MD

Through Vikestad's innovative program, "Switch on the Music / Adoptive Music", Claremont High School students with severe and profound disabilities are actively and independently creating music on their own. The program brings together a music therapist/teacher, speech pathologist and occupational therapist to work with students who are often viewed as dependent on others. Thanks to this collaboration, students are provided with materials that they can independently manipulate to create music. Instruments and musical toys activated by headtilt, wobble, oversize switches, and/or finger, hand, head, foot or torso motor movements, allow these students to successfully operate music equipment. This project shows staff and family members that these students are capable of doing more than was previously believed or expected of them. Vikestad resides in Essex.

Phyllis Jordan (2007)

Salem School
Frostburg, MD

The "Mountains to the Bay" project allows students in a new school building to study how to return the disturbed land on which their campus is built back to its natural settings. Salem School in Frostburg is already the recipient of a Chesapeake Bay Trust grant that encourages the reestablishment of native species of plants and grasses in the area. The school is located near the Wolf Swamp, one of the largest swamps in North America. With this new project, Jordan wants her 35 students in grades six to 12 to study and monitor soil composition and runoff, gather water samples, and analyze and report data gathered from the school site in comparison with the Chesapeake Bay area. This is believed to be the first time that any school-age group has studied the Wolf Swamp. In addition to the students' work, Jordan is considering the involvement of environmental studies students from Frostburg State University to offer additional analysis and reporting. Jordan resides in Frostburg.

Magan Chyko-Leigh (2006)

Villa Cresta Elementary School
Baltimore, MD

Chyko-Leigh's program, "Access Announcements", will help bridge the communication gap between hearing students and those who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) by broadcasting daily announcements via closed circuit televisions with an American Sign Language interpreter. Because DHH students at Villa Cresta Elementary School rely on their vision instead of their hearing to gain information, the Access Announcements initiative will allow them to be more fully included in the school community. This student-operated program gives students an opportunity to lead the development and delivery of school-related news with "crews" comprised of hearing and DHH students who serve as newscasters, writers and camera operators. According to Chyko-Leigh, this project will be unique because it is designed to meet the specific needs of the school's mixed population of hearing and DHH students. With ongoing instruction and support from a dedicated team of teachers, she believes this program can help students improve their writing, public speaking, and interpersonal skills thereby enhancing the quality of education for all of Villa Cresta's students. Chyko-Leigh resides in Baltimore.

Sandra Cryder (2005)

Overlea High School
Baltimore, MD

For the past 42 years, little has changed about the architectural face of Overlea High School. Cryder, along with teammates Bruce Ickes, Kay Jones, and Heather Wooldridge, saw this as an opportunity to construct an outdoor classroom serving as a multi-discipline learning center, while enhancing the school’s campus. They created the “Sculpture and Reading Garden.” Overlea’s 1,350 students will be involved in every aspect of the room’s creation, from design and construction to maintenance and publicity. Students will also reach out to community members for funding and additional resources, inviting them to use the room, upon its completion, for community functions. The area will be used to host poetry reading s, concerts, festivals and a wide variety of additional education events. Funds received will go to outfitting the outdoor space. The project will create a valuable classroom space, introduce public art to the community and instill a sense of school pride in students, faculty and staff. Cryder resides in Baltimore.

Chastity Gloyd (2004)

Williamsport High School
Williamsport, MD

Gloyd’s “Protecting the Chesapeake Through Erosion Control” program gives students the opportunity to learn firsthand the value of environmental stewardship. Students in the program participate in a two-day workshop and work with conservationists to study different soil varieties, causes of erosion, and various erosion control methods. After conducting Internet research on effective erosion control tools, students identify an affected area and conduct a site analysis, including scientific measurements of soil type, land slope, temperature, pH and soil nutrients. Students then create a PowerPoint presentation detailing their own erosion control plans. Culmination of the project for students includes the writing of a grant application for funds to implement their erosion control plans. Teaching students how to identify and address a real-life environmental problem, the program is designed to strengthen individual awareness and responsibility for the environment.

Nancy Lee Hebb (2004)

Hurlock Elementary School
Hurlock, MD

Hebb’s “Partners in Art” project engages students, many from low-income families, to work after school on art projects that help reinforce classroom activities and inspire students to want to learn. Students and parents work together with the visual arts specialist, receive free materials, and often are welcomed to stay for a complimentary meal. The students can make several projects, including clay animal pinch pots, clay ornaments, charcoal drawings, watercolor paintings and Japanese art. Many projects, such as origami and Native American clay pots, are designed to complement cultural or historical studies. The completed projects often are displayed in the school’s showcase, which helps students feel a sense of pride and accomplishment about their art and school involvement.

Cynthia Duncan (2003)

Dundalk High School
Dundalk, MD

Working with a team of educators including Margaret Kipp and David Huryk, Duncan's "Biotechnology Initiative" project aims to train students in laboratory problem-solving techniques and develop competence using cutting-edge biotechnology resources, while preparing them for further life-science study and future technological careers. Students at all levels are introduced to the latest in biotechnology equipment and challenged to understand all of the ways in which the science impacts various aspects of daily life. Through their experience studying and using technology in the classroom, students gain the necessary skills to further academic endeavors and to be competitive in the evolving workforce of the future.

Joann Malone (2002)

Montgomery Blair High School
Silver Spring, MD

Malone's "Diversity Workshop" is a three-hour interactive program in which students are trained to lead other students in exercises focused on recognizing and reducing prejudice and stereotyping. Through exercises designed for adults but tailored for students, discussions, role-playing, and various speakers, students develop a deeper understanding of ethnic, religious, gender, and other types of conflict. The workshop also identifies and celebrates the many groups to which people belong and fosters appreciation for differences, while building unity and commitment to mutual respect. As a result, students gain an understanding of other cultures and their roles in their diverse communities.

Suzanne Cassidy (2001)

Bishop McNamara High School
Forestville, Md.

Cassidy's "Water Drop Project" gives tenth-grade biology students opportunities to develop teaching units on microorganisms aimed at first through fourth graders. The high school students research the organisms, culturing basic protozoa and studying them under microscopes. As a culminating activity, they create a series of lessons and activities to be conducted at selected elementary schools, with special emphasis on inner-city schools. They also post the material on the high school's Web site so younger students can visit it and ask follow-up questions. The project lets tenth graders learn by teaching and helps them build relationships with other school communities.

François Diadhiou (2001)

Rogers Heights Elementary School
Bladensburg, Md.

Diadhiou's "Sembe" project is named for a short-story, written by Diadhiou, that's used to inspire students to high achievement on standardized tests. Sembe (literally strength or resilience) is an African boy from a small village in Senegal who, despite economic disadvantages and a lack of resources, perseveres to pass challenging tests needed to enter middle school. Using Sembe's story and his resilience and discipline as models, the project guides students through a series of writing and other activities that prepare them for state- and county-wide achievement tests. Available also in French and Spanish, the project promotes other cultures and has a positive impact on participants' self-esteem.

Roseann Adams (2000)

Greenview Knolls Elementary School
Great Mills, MD

Adams' "Disability Awareness Simulation" project gives able-bodied students the experience of being disabled by teaching them to handle tools employed by disabled individuals. Students visit six of 12 "challenge stations" during their physical education classes. The stations include a wheelchair obstacle course, exposure to American Sign Language and Braille, and experiences with manual, motor, and speech impairment. Through the project, students develop a new core of knowledge and a deeper empathy for disabled people, especially their peers.

Nikki Bowers (2000)

Boonsboro Elementary School
Boonsboro, MD

Bowers' "Toys for Sale" is an integrated, experience-based project that helps young students make decisions and solve problems. Students become "senior toy designers" in a classroom "company" and investigate the research, technology, and marketing associated with toy making. In this way, students experience economics, science, math, and language arts in a meaningful, relevant context. By creating a team atmosphere that allows them to take risks and find solutions, the project gives students the opportunity to be creative and empower their own learning.

David Brock (2000)

Roland Park Country School
Baltimore, MD

Brock's "Water in, Water Out" project teaches students urban watershed management within the greater Chesapeake Bay estuary. A stream and wetland near the school enable students to study the current status of the watershed and learn about the impact humans have on its health. By participating in a unique unit on soil microbiology, students will increase knowledge of their local environment, develop research skills, and get the opportunity for their research findings to be included in the professional database of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study.

Laura Corbin Frazier (2000)

Walkersville High School
Walkersville, MD

Frazier's "Design Your Own Clean Energy Town" project lets students make decisions about the energy and environmental needs of a community. Students engage in research and experiments to develop knowledge of traditional fossil fuels, alternative energy, energy safety, economics, and environmental impact. They then render a scale blueprint of a town, which includes placement of energy sources and fueling facilities. The project exposes students to new energy concepts and helps them gather information about career opportunities in areas such as engineering, land development, and economics.

Mary Ellen Butts (1999)

Northern Middle School
Hagerstown, MD

Butts and a group of eleven other teachers' "Connections to Community" project gives eighth grade students an opportunity to promote peace in their community. Students work on a number of projects that include conflict resolution strategies, writing their own lyrics to \We Shall Overcome and promoting and organizing a 6K Peace Walk/Run for the community. The students learn how to be good citizens and to work with other members of the community to promote this same attitude.

Muriel Werking (1999)

Dr. Samuel A. Mudd
Waldorf, MD

Werking's "Summer Quest" project is designed as an intervention strategy targeting students with behavioral problems that resulted in removal from the classroom. The program incorporates a four-week summer experience to provide both academic and behavioral support followed by year round follow-up conducted on a daily basis. The effectiveness of the program is demonstrated by the increased academic performance of the students involved.

Paul Engle (1998)

Smithsburg Middle School
Hagerstown, MD

Engle's P.A.S.S. program was designed to increase student achievement and success. After each grading period, students who had met certain criteria were invited to participate in an award activity. Those students that did not meet the criteria worked individually with teachers to develop better study and organizational skills.

Rosetta Minnick (1998)

Salem Avenue Elementary
Hagerstown, MD

Minnick's Economic Concept's project gave students hands-on experience in mass production. By challenging students to design their own product and production line, the project taught students economic and technical skills, while teaching them about supply and demand, advertising, and the acquisition of raw materials.

Melissa Gaver (1997)

Northern Middle School
Hagerstown, MD

Gaver's project, B.I.A.S. (Behaviors Integrating American Societies), integrates the many differences of her students into an accepting community and helps the students see the wealth and beauty of diversity. Students study the history of prejudice -- drawing upon the Holocaust, racial prejudice, bias against Native Americans, sexual bias and other discriminatory practices.

Charlotte Trout (1997)

Williamsport High School
Williamsport, MD

Trout's project provides students an opportunity to build and evaluate