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Issue 63 May 2022
This section features recent Master Teacher accomplishments. We send special KUDOS!
We encourage everyone to reach out to Master Teacher colleagues to access these opportunities and resources.
Southern Tier MT Nichole Hantsch Secures $10,000 Agriculture Education Grant
Southern Tier MT Nichole Hantsch Secures $10,000 Agriculture Education Grant
Congratulations to Southern Tier Master Teacher Nichole Hantsch on obtaining a $10,000 agricultural education grant through Cornell University’s Agriculture Education and Outreach program, in partnership with Future Farmers of America.
Grant funds allow Nichole and the Chenango Forks district to establish an agricultural education elective at Middle School during the 2022-2023 school year and start an afterschool agricultural club. The district also plans to explore possible high school agricultural courses during the 2023-2024 academic year.
In an interview with a local news station Nichole described ways in which the granted-funded work will reach out into the surrounding rural community. "We already have a lot of community members who have reached out and said they're interested, and also helping out with coming in and being a visitor and teaching the kids about what they know and what they do at their farms."
Cornell University’s Agriculture Education and Outreach program provides local school-based agricultural education programs with grant awards to secure necessary resources for a high-quality agricultural education program including curriculum development, professional development, program development, resource acquisitions, and program coordination.
Learn more about grant opportunities available to NYS districts that are seeking to begin or grow agricultural programs.
Nichole managed to engage her middle schoolers in agricultural learning even during the switch to remote instruction in 2020.
Her YouTube Channel features wonderful videos of chick development within their eggs as well as during and after hatching.
Read an interview with Nichole featured by her local news station WICZ:
Stefanie Loomis (CR) & Jim Burdick (NC) Compile A Green Chemistry Regents Guide
Stefanie Loomis (CR) & Jim Burdick (NC) Compile A Green Chemistry Regents Guide
in Partnership with Beyond Benign
in Partnership with Beyond Benign
Congratulations and thank you to Master Teachers Stefanie Loomis (Capital Region) and Jim Burdick (North Country Region) for compiling an outstanding resource for chemistry teachers across New York State, the Green Chemistry Guide to Regents Chemistry: Integrating Green Chemistry into NYS Chemistry Regents which is featured on Beyond Benign's website for chemistry educators in New York. (The site is full of useful info, video demonstrations and lesson plans aligned with NYS Science Learning Standards, resources, and links assembled specifically for and by NY teachers, including numerous NYS Master Teachers.)
Kate Anderson, Beyond Benign's Director of K-12 Education, writes "This guide is an excellent resource for educators across New York State. It features a table of topics, phenomena, storyline ideas, links to Beyond Benign aligned green chemistry labs and lessons linked to both current NYS Physical Setting Chemistry Core Curriculum and the new NYS High School Science Learning Standards that are under development. The guide is a tool for teachers looking to integrate safer lab practices coupled with real-world contextual labs that bring chemistry concepts to life for students."
NYS Regents Green Chemistry Guide_2021.pdfStefanie and Jim are part of the Green Chemistry PLT which is unique partnership between NYSMTP and the Beyond Benign organization.
NYS Master Teachers Stefanie Loomis (CR), Jim Burdick (NC), Annette Sebuyira (CR), and Veronica Morabito-Weeks (LI), members of the Green Chemistry PLT, serve as Beyond Benign Green Chemistry Teacher Leaders.
FL MT Christine Bailey Clar's STEAM Club Students Honored
FL MT Christine Bailey Clar's STEAM Club Students Honored
Finger Lakes MT Christine Bailey Clar’s STEAM club at Athena Middle School in the Greece Central School District competed in the Terra Science and Engineering Fair. Thirteen Athena students designed a variety of projects including techniques for avoiding harm during allergy testing, techniques sustainable building techniques, an ecofriendly roof, and motorized face masks.
Several students were recognized for their efforts and five achieved Honors Level Awards. Award winners were invited to participate in the Energy 21 Symposium as a guest of the founder Dr. Rhea Jezer, where they will be given the chance to learn about and discuss the future of energy. Athena Middle School’s STEAM club, facilitated by Christine and three of her colleagues, received the Terra Educators Award for advancing the greatest number of students to the Terra Fair. Their school will receive a $2,500 cash prize which will be used to support next year’s student projects. Congratulations to all!
One of several award winning projects by Christine Bailey-Clar's STEAM Club students.
Share your news with us! Your experience could be a resource for another classroom. Email us at: masterteacherprogram@suny.edu
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