Sponsors New 'Science Matters' Web Site and Teacher Awards
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- ServiceMaster today announced an
agreement with the National Science Teachers Association to sponsor its
Science Matters Web site and several of its teacher awards.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090327/CL89887LOGO-a )
NSTA recently launched Science Matters, a major public awareness initiative
designed to rekindle a national sense of urgency and action among schools and
families about the importance of science education and science literacy. The
Science Matters Web site, accessible at www.nsta.org/sciencematters/, provides
teachers and parents with helpful reports and studies about the current state
of science education in the United States, information about to how to work
together to foster better learning experiences in K-12 science, and links to
valuable Web sites that offer simple science experiments and activities to do
in the classroom or at home.
"We're delighted to be part of this worthwhile program, and to help introduce
students to the importance of science in their everyday lives," said J.
Patrick Spainhour, CEO of ServiceMaster. "We're deeply committed to science
education because science plays such an important role in our company and all
of our brands."
In addition to supporting the Web site, ServiceMaster will sponsor three
annual NSTA awards: the Distinguished Informal Science Education Award, the
Distinguished Teaching Award and the Distinguished Service to Science
Education Award. These awards honor K-12 teachers, professors, principals, and
others who have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of science
education and science teaching.
"Uniting with ServiceMaster to honor teachers and to provide the Science
Matters Web site underscores NSTA's commitment to elevating the quality of
science education in the U.S.," said Dr. Francis Eberle, executive director,
NSTA. "We are thrilled to be able to recognize inspiring and deserving
teachers year after year with these awards and to provide resources, through
the Science Matters Web site, to parents and teachers that will ultimately
help make excellence in science teaching and learning a reality in all schools
nationwide."
Science Matters is a component of the John Glenn Center for Science Education
campaign, a five-year $43 million national effort to make excellence in
science teaching and learning a reality for all U.S. students. This effort,
one of the most significant ever undertaken by NSTA, will fund a body of
forward-thinking programs and a state-of-the-art facility designed to promote
leadership, learning, and advocacy in science education. For more information
on the John Glenn Center for Science Education, visit www.nsta.org/cse.
About ServiceMaster
ServiceMaster currently serves residential and commercial customers through a
network of more than 5,500 company-owned locations and franchised licenses.
The company's brands include TruGreen, TruGreen LandCare, Terminix, American
Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic, and AmeriSpec.
The core services of the company include lawn care and landscape maintenance,
termite and pest control, home warranties, cleaning and disaster restoration,
home cleaning, furniture repair and home inspection.
About NSTA
The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association (NSTA),
www.nsta.org, is the largest professional organization in the world promoting
excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's
current membership includes more than 60,000 science teachers, science
supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry
representatives, and others involved in science education.
SOURCE ServiceMaster
Peter Tosches, ServiceMaster, +1-901-597-8449, ptosches@servicemaster.com; or
Kate Meyer, NSTA, +1-703-312-9211, kmeyer@nsta.org
