Nation's Top Future Teachers Recognized

Knowles Science Teaching Foundation Awards Fellowships to 33 Exceptional
College Graduates Dedicated to Teaching High School Science and Mathematics

MOORESTOWN, N.J., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirty-three outstanding young
men and women from across the nation today were awarded fellowships from the
Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF), a national advocate for improving
the quality of science and mathematics teaching. Renewable for up to five
years and up to $150,000 in total, the KSTF Teaching Fellowship supports and
sustains aspiring teachers of promise as they embark on careers teaching high
school science and mathematics. The financial package encompasses tuition
assistance, monthly stipends and support for summer professional development.
The program's professional benefits include everything from regular meetings
and online discussions to teaching materials and a structured mentor
relationship for each Fellow.
Approximately half of all secondary teachers leave the field within five
years. Explicitly designed to meet the financial and professional needs of
new science and mathematics teachers, the KSTF Teaching Fellowship helps
reverse the trend by ensuring that the nation's best remain in the profession
to become leaders in the field.
"Math and science skills are vital to our staying competitive as a nation
and yet little is being done to support the teachers who are responsible for
our students' proficiency in these areas," said Dr. Angelo Collins, KSTF's
Executive Director. "In supporting talented, dedicated future educators, we
are ensuring excellence in science and mathematics teaching in American high
schools for years to come."
This year KSTF awarded 13 fellowships in mathematics, 11 in physical
sciences and nine in biological sciences. The 2008 KSTF Teaching Fellows are
pursuing teaching degrees at Cornell, Harvard, New York University, Stanford,
the State University of New York, and the University of California, Berkeley
among other schools.
A Coveted Career in Education
The KSTF Teaching Fellows are passionate about their career choice. Fully
half of the Fellows have educators in the family and consider teaching a
family tradition. More than two thirds have tutored or mentored through
middle school and high school, and many have volunteered as teaching
assistants at local schools while in college. At least six of the Fellows
plan to teach in urban or disadvantaged schools.
"I hope to teach students in my classroom the role that an understanding
of mathematical concepts plays in everyday life," said Corinne Cornibe, a
newly-minted KSTF Mathematics Fellow who left a career in architecture to
pursue a teaching degree at
New York University'sSteinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human
Development. "Basic math skills are essential to enabling students in urban
schools to participate in civic activities such as home ownership." Examples
of Fellows who left other careers to focus on teaching include James Lane, a
former Navy analytical chemist and radiation control technician from
Minneapolis, MN (Biology Fellowship); former engineer Jordan Pasqualin from
Flint, MI (Physical Science Fellowship); and Lisa Martone from Rochester, NY,
who left a successful career in business management to become a teacher
(Biology Fellowship).
The Fellows share the conviction that teaching is a complex,
intellectually-demanding profession that requires ongoing training and
education on a par with today's most demanding careers. They agree
unanimously that sure signs of a bad teacher are apathy, lack of connection
with students or "constant lecturing on PowerPoint with the lights off."
"I believe that teaching may be one of the most challenging careers and
also one of the most demanding ones and I am eager for both challenges and the
rewards," said Jessica Richardson, 2008 KSTF Biology Fellow. "Teaching is one
field which has the most impact on the next generation, a career that gives
birth to future doctors, politicians and engineers. I would not want to miss
such as incredible opportunity to participate in this breeding ground for
change," added Lindsey Quinlisk, 2008 KSTF Mathematics Fellow.
Improving science and mathematics education
How will tomorrow's teachers transform their classrooms? What will help
improve the teaching of science and mathematics so students are better
equipped to go on to college? KSTF Fellows recommend the following: --
Emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking
-- Focus on observations, inferences, and experimentation so students
fully understand the nature of science
-- Less theory; more applications of concepts to real world situations
-- More field trips, fewer tests
-- Less time for teachers in front of a blackboard; more time for students
to work together in groups

The KSTF Teaching Fellowship
KSTF awarded its first four Teaching Fellowships in 2002. The program has
grown every year since. The Foundation currently supports 111 Teaching
Fellows (including the new 2008 Fellows) who, as a group, will impact nearly
10,000 students in the 2008-2009 academic year alone.
"The KSTF Teaching Fellowship was designed to combat the reasons why so
many teachers choose to leave the field, such as isolation, lack of support
and negative perceptions of teaching as a profession," said Dr. Collins.
"KSTF Fellows excel because they belong to a like-minded community and are
continually evolving as scholars of teaching and professionals."
Highly competitive, the KSTF Teaching Fellowships are awarded after a
rigorous selection process. KSTF uses four major criteria in the selection of
Teaching Fellows: exceptional content knowledge; commitment to teaching;
ability to teach; and leadership. Applications are reviewed by KSTF program
staff and by a judging panel of highly accomplished scientists, mathematicians
and educators.
The 2008 KSTF Mathematics Teaching Fellows

-- Gregory Borish of Seattle, Washington
-- Corinne Cornibe of Shaler, Pennsylvania
-- Elizabeth Dick of McMinnville, Oregon
-- Rachel Dunnagan of Louisville, Kentucky
-- Sangeetha Lakshminarayanan of Stanford, California
-- Jessica Newville of Ventura, California
-- Alexia Olson of Newport Beach, California
-- Megan O'Reilly of Woodbury, New Jersey
-- Lindsey Quinlisk of Colorado Springs, Colorado
-- Ellie Ratliff of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
-- Liz Ratliff of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
-- Mark Spong of Denton, Texas
-- Ajoy Vase of Claremont, California

The 2008 KSTF Physical Sciences Teaching Fellows

-- Shelley Deford of Walnut Creek, California
-- Heather Haines of Chicago, Illinois
-- Kelsey Johnson of Downingtown, Pennsylvania
-- Kaitlin Lee of Minneapolis, Minnesota
-- Clare Morgan of Albany, New York
-- Scott Murphy of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
-- Jordan Pasqualin of Flint, Michigan
-- Christopher Priedemann of Bayshore, New York
-- Kristine Schleibaum of Fairfax, Virginia
-- Jonathan Tannen of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
-- Maurice Telesford of Southfield, Michigan

The 2008 KSTF Biological Sciences Teaching Fellows

-- Melissa Barger of Houston, Texas
-- Alexandra Fuentes of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
-- Geoffrey Gailey of Rochester, New York
-- James Lane of Minneapolis, Minnesota
-- Lisa Martone of Rochester, New York
-- Amol Patel of Danville, Virginia
-- Jessica Richardson of St. Paul, Minnesota
-- Emily Sweet of Piedmont, California
-- Callie Van Koughnett of Memphis, Tennessee

About KSTF
The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF) was established by Janet H.
and C. Harry Knowles in 1999 to strengthen the quality of science and
mathematics teaching in United States high schools. The Foundation's
signature program, the KSTF Teaching Fellowships, awards exceptional young men
and women with a five-year fellowship as they embark on careers teaching high
school science and mathematics. KSTF's other programs include the Young
Scholars Research Fellowships for doctoral level researchers and a biennial
Knowles Conference series. For more information visit www.kstf.org
For detailed information, biographies and images of the
2008 KSTF Teaching Fellows,
and to set up interviews with Fellows and KSTF spokespersons,
please contact KSTF's media relations team

SOURCE Knowles Science Teaching Foundation

Milena Perez, 212-660-6787, mperez@dcinyc.com, or Lisa Quirindongo,
+1-203-430-3550, lquirindongo@dcinyc.com