E.C. Glass biology teacher Erin Rettke wins Science Teaching Award from Randolph

STAR winner Erin Rettke with Randolph College Provost Tim Smith

Randolph College recently named E.C. Glass High School teacher Erin Rettke the winner of the Science Teaching Award from Randolph (STAR).

The award honors a high school science teacher who has contributed significantly to the lives of students and exhibits excellence in the teaching of science.

The award includes a $1,500 stipend, as well as an additional $1,000 as an unrestricted grant for the winner’s classroom.

The award was announced at the keynote event for Randolph College’s Science Festival.

Randolph also recognized Rustburg High School biology teacher Helen Wilborn—who was hailed for her ability to make science accessible and relevant to all students through innovative strategies, hands-on experiments, interactive demonstrations, and multimedia presentations—as the runner-up.

Rustburg High School teacher Helen Wilborn was runner-up for the 2024 STAR Award.

Rettke has taught biology and anatomy & physiology at E.C. Glass since 2021. Prior to that, she spent five years teaching life science at Dunbar Middle School.

A lifelong educator, she said her goal is to help students “see that the world around them is full of the wonder and magic of science, to help them believe in themselves, and to create a safe space where all students can be their authentic selves while living and breathing the science curriculum.

“Science should come alive in the classroom,” she added, “and it does in mine.”

Retke led and organized the Dunbar Science Fair for five years and has worked on the Lynchburg City Schools Science Curriculum Team to develop learning goals for biology in the division.

At E.C. Glass, she leads the Professional Learning Community in her subject area, and during COVID-19, she cooked with her students on Facebook Live, making a personal connection with science and their world. She is currently writing a book featuring the recipes they used.

She is also the teacher sponsor for Lynchburg Students Rise, which meets monthly to discuss local and national concerns.

“The thing that impresses me the most is her commitment to building relationships with her students,” Jessica McIntosh ’16, ’20 M.A.T. and recipient of the 2023 STAR award, wrote in her nomination for Rettke. “She is at her door every single class period greeting her young scientists. She knows if they have a game or important performance coming up and offers genuine encouragement. This might seem like a small thing, but it is one of the most important parts of being a teacher. Building these relationships with students is what leads to them having the confidence to explore, experiment, and discover in the classroom.”