2005 NAGT Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Awards

Journal of Geoscience Education, Mar 2006

STATE WINNERS

Alabama

Ashley Allen teaches earth and space science and environmental science at Oneonta High School. He uses a variety of lesson formats to engage the interest of students with diverse learning styles. Ashley focuses on the needs of his students, many of whom have linguistic or other handicaps. He goes out of his way to foster their enthusiasm for science. Outside the classroom Ashley writes a monthly fossil quiz for the Blount Banner (a county newspaper).

Ashley is actively involved in earth science, which informs his classroom teaching. Ashley discovered the world-class Union Chapel mine fossil trackway site while scouting for a junior high school field trip. The ultimate result of this discovery has been the preservation of the site by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The site, the best of its age in the entire world, is now the focus of active scientific research.

Georgia

Gregory Lee Bailey of Dalton, Georgia is the 2005 Outstanding Earth Science Teacher in Georgia. Greg is the Science Supervisor for Whitfield County, and currently teaches half time. He is National Board Certified in secondary Science with an Emphasis in Earth Science. According to Greg, his greatest accomplishment in education was having the senior class of 2000 select his Geology class as the best class at his high school.

Interestingly, there was no Earth Science taught in the Whitfield County system until Greg arrived. He instituted the geology course without textbooks and without a budget, which is a real demonstration of his creativity.

Greg is also the driving force behind the new Georgia Earth Science Teachers Association, which had its first meeting in February 2005. He has also helped co-author abstracts for presentation at Geological Society of America meetings and is one of the Principal Investigators on a three-year Math-Science Partnership Grant from the Georgia Department of Education, to improve middle school teacher training in Earth Science and Physical Science.

Maryland

Carole Sue Diehl currently teaches earth science and environmental science for Fort Hill High School in Cumberland, Maryland. She was nominated by Karen Bundy, the Director of Secondary Science Education for Allegany County Schools for her excellence in teaching science since 1989. She earned a Bachelor's and Master's degree from Frostburg State University. Ms Diehl believes in active learning and arranges field trips including geology forays to Savage River State Park and the Frostburg State Planetarium. Ms Diehl is also a strong advocate for technology integration in the earth science classroom. Technology enhancements she uses to promote learning include: Probeware, graphing calculators, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software, and Landsat Images. Students also utilize PowerPoint to construct their own classroom presentations. She recently submitted two NOAA Environmental Education Grants earning $14,000 in awards for her school. Her nominator writes: "She is a dedicated and vigilant educator who has one focus and that is to reach her students."