New Randolph program will recognize local science teachers

Area high school teachers participate in group activities at the Science Teaching Institute at Randolph in 2018

Talented area science teachers now have a new way to be honored for their work in the classroom, thanks to a new program from Randolph College. Beginning in the spring at the 2020 Randolph College Science Festival, Randolph will present annual awards to high school science teachers in the local area who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and provide inspirational guidance to their students.

Randolph College Science Festival’s Regional Science Teaching Award recipients will earn a $1,500 stipend and an additional $1,000 unrestricted grant for the award winner’s school department. To be eligible for the prize, nominees must be a part-time or full-time science teacher in the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, Nelson, or the City of Lynchburg. The top three finalists, including the winner, will be recognized at the Science Festival keynote presentation.

Winners will be chosen by a selection subcommittee from the Randolph College Science Festival Oversight Committee, led by Peter Sheldon, the Charles A. Dana Professor of Physics & Engineering and director of the Science Festival. He adopted the idea from the American Physical Society, which awards science teachers on a national level.

“We know that many teachers go out of their way to do things to educate their students beyond what’s expected in the classroom and they work hard to point their students in the right direction, and we would like to recognize that,” Sheldon said. “We hope to offer this award for many years and be able to recognize many excellent teachers.”

Nominate a local science teacher and find out more about Randolph College Science Festival’s Regional Science Teaching Award at randolphscience.org/scifeststar/. You can also watch media coverage of this announcement from WSLS 10.