Washington State LASER
Announces Recipients
of the 2008 Science Education Advocate
Awards
Washington State LASER (Washington State
Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform, a
program of Pacific Science Center), with support from The
Boeing Company, announces the recipients of the 2008
Science Education Advocate Awards.
"Awardees are being recognized for their advocacy efforts - not necessarily their work as science educators. We want to stress how important strong community support and advocacy is to developing science literacy in our state," said Dennis Schatz, Vice President for Education at Pacific Science Center and Co-Director for LASER.
Efforts at all levels of science education - including early learner, K-12, vocational, undergraduate, graduate, adult, and informal/public science education - were eligible for consideration.
The five awardees receive $5,000 each to be awarded to the not-for-profit organization or public education entity of their choice for use in its efforts on behalf of science education. The monetary reward as well as funding for the awards process was generously provided by the Boeing Company.
Recipients were recognized Wednesday, May 21, during an awards ceremony at the Washington Athletic Club in Seattle. This event was sponsored by Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER), City Club, and The Boeing Company.
Recipients will also be recognized at local awards ceremonies to highlight their achievements among their peers and within their communities.
Individual
Awards
Dr. Terry
Bergeson
Bergeson is Superintendent of Public Instruction for
Washington State.
Washington state is viewed by many nationally as a leader
in science education which, in no small part, due to the
countless hours Bergeson has spent advocating for science
education.
From the beginning of Washington's efforts to respond to
goals set forth in 1993 by House Bill 1209, Bergeson has
helped the science leaders in the state to establish
standards, assessment, accountability systems and the
technical assistance and professional development programs
needed to help all students attain science literacy. She
has lead and garnered the support from key government
officials to pass critical and vital legislation that
supports science instruction in the state.
Bergeson's $5,000 donation will be awarded to the
Washington State Science Teachers Association.
Gary
Masten
Masten is Superintendent of Highland School District and
Chairman of the Educational Service District 105 Science
Education Cooperative.
Instrumental in the formation of the South Central
Leadership and Assistance in Science Education Reform
(LASER) Alliance, Masten's on-going leadership has made
this alliance a model for others to follow. He holds a
vision for what science education needs to look like for
all students and as its advocate involves himself in the
events, learns what it is like in the classroom, and
lobbies and makes decisions for the benefit of the entire
region - always with his eye on the most important target
of all - students.
Masten's $5,000 donation will be awarded to Highland School
District #203.
Rod
Proctor
Proctor is a semi-retired consultant (Technology
Management).
Proctor has been actively involved with the Washington
Council of American Technology Associates for more than 30
years. He was chairman of the council and has served on the
Government Affairs and Education Committee for most of that
time.
He has lobbied to the Washington State Congress on behalf
of math, science and engineering education. He participated
in the development of the math and science standards, given
talks to Rotary and other community groups on the
importance of inquiry-based science and is an active
volunteer for the Seattle Public Schools.
Proctor's $5,000 donation will be awarded to AEA Education
Foundation.
Sally Goetz
Shuler
Shuler is Executive Director of the National Science
Resources Center (NSRC).
As the leader of the NSRC, Shuler led the development of a
science education reform model that has revolutionized
science education programs across the state. This model
brought coherence and direction as Washington state science
leaders worked to collaborate on effective science
education for all students.
Leading by example, Shuler has leveraged business and
government leaders to become partners in the reform
efforts, recommended that Washington state be included in
the National Research Council's Rising above the Gathering
Storm report and has sought every opportunity to showcase
the work of Washington State Leadership and Assistance for
Science Education Reform (LASER). This ongoing advocacy has
brought additional support back to the state.
Shuler's $5,000 donation will be awarded to Smithsonian
Institution."I also plan to use the award funds provided by
Boeing to support the NSRC internship program for inspiring
the next generation of leaders working to improve K-16
science education," said Shuler.
Organization
Awards
Washington
State Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA
)
MESA is a program that brings together school districts,
businesses, and colleges/universities to support student
achievement in math, engineering and science for
underrepresented groups.
Washington State MESA is a leader in education reform to
promote academic success and ultimately college graduation
for underrepresented students. The program has been
singularly focused in bringing the challenges facing Native
American, African American, Latino and females in science
and math to the light and worked diligently to eliminate
barriers. It serves as a catalyst and model for educational
excellence and equity.
Washington State MESA's $5,000 donation will be awarded to
Tacoma MESA.
Washington State LASER is a private public partnership working with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) as well as with the National Science Resource Center (NSRC) which is a non-profit science education organization sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute and the National Academies. It receives financial support from OSPI, the Boeing Company, Battelle and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Agilent Technologies Foundation, Merck, WaMu and Intel.
For more information about Washington State LASER and the Science Education Advocate Awards, please visit →wastatelaser.org.