2004

Laura Berube is a National Board Certified Millbrook High School science teacher and 2002 nominee for the Wake County Teacher of the Year. Ms. Berube traveled to Belize on an Educator of Excellence award through the NC Museum of Natural Science. She is working in collaboration with scientists from the Museum and the NSF Science and Technology Centers for Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes on her project, Carbon Dioxide in Nature and Technology as well as with Dr. Bob Bruck from NCSU.

Dr. Denis DuBay, lateral entry high school science teacher at Leesville High School has received a NC Beautiful grant for his project, Science as a Way of Knowing. He serves on the Board of Directors for both the Research Triangle Science and Mathematics Partnership and the Environmental Education Fund. He was recently selected, along with four of his students, to attend the National Youth Watershed Summit in Washington, DC. His University Mentors are Dr. John Penick and Dr. Harriett Stubbs of NCSU.

Steven Gregory is a National Board Certified career and technical education teacher at Leesville Middle School who has worked as a consultant with NC Department of Public Instruction to re-write curriculum blueprints for the NC High School Career and Technical Education Programs. His project, Urban Space – Smart Place is being developed with Dr. David Stein from NCSU.

Holly Hanrahan is the K-12 Education Outreach Coordinator for NC Space Grant. She was a science teacher and the Chair of the Science Department and has received several grants to advance space science education. Holly was nominated for Teacher of the Year at Carnage Middle School this year. Her Kenan Fellows Project, Destination: Mars engages partners including NASA, NC Space Grant Consortium, the NC Space Initiative, and her University Mentor, Dr. Fred DeJarnette from NCSU.

Heidi Hill, Durant Road Middle school science teacher. Her project, The Big Dig inspires students to become scientist participating in authentic digs gaining knowledge of fossils and pre-historic life. Students then develop fossil kits to share with elementary schools. Ms. Hill has completed the process of National Board Certification and has been accepted to NCSU’s Secondary Science Graduate Program. Her students refer to her University Mentor as “Dr. Bones”…Dr. Joe Carter from UNC-CH.

Pat Ligon, Broughton High school chemistry teacher, has presented her Kenan Fellows project work at numerous professional conferences, including the North Carolina Science Teachers Association conference. Ms. Ligon traveled to New England on an Educator of Excellence award through the NC Museum of Natural Science, one of the collaborators on her project. She is working on her project, Chemistry applications: Pharmacology, Biotechnology, and Forensics in collaboration with Dr. Stefan Franzen and Dr. Maria Oliver-Hoyo from NCSU.

Deborah Massengill, high school biology and environmental science teacher, has served as the Medical Academy Coordinator and Envirothon Team coach at Enloe High School. Ms. Massengill traveled to New England on an Educator of Excellence award through the NC Museum of Natural Science. She is working in collaboration with scientists from the Museum and the NSF Science and Technology Centers for Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes on her project, Carbon Dioxide in Nature and Technology as well as with Dr. Bob Bruck from NCSU.

Judy Thibodeaux, C. W. Stanford Middle School teacher for academically gifted children, annually coordinates exciting projects like “Marsville.” Her students have won numerous awards in recent years for their claymation video productions. Her project, Exploring the Universe through Astrobiology is being developed in collaboration with Dr. Chris Brown from NCSU.

Ashlie Thompson, high school English teacher at Middle Creek High School, has completed her doctoral studies in Curriculum and Instruction at NC State University. This past year she has presented her interdisciplinary Kenan Fellows Project to numerous groups, including professional associations for both English and science teachers. She is developing her project, Using Problem-Based Learning in the Science and English Classroom with Dr. Lisa Grable and Dr. Hiller Spires from NCSU.

Samuel Wheeler, Southeast Raleigh High School physics teacher, is a National Board Certified teacher and host of the Math and Science Show. He has recently been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to visit Japan. Last year Mr. Wheeler visited Belize on an Educator of Excellence award through the NC Museum of Natural Science, one of the collaborators on his project, Interactive Online Physics Resource for Students and Teachers. This project is being developed with Dr. John Risley from NCSU.

Sharon Winzeler, Broughton High School English teacher, has received several grants to fund classroom environmental projects associated with her Kenan Fellows work. She has presented with other Kenan Fellows at various conferences, including the North Carolina Teachers of English, the North Carolina Science Teachers Association, and the North Carolina Association for Educational Communications and Technology. Her interdisciplinary project is entitled Picturing Literacy: Man and the Environment and she works in collaboration with Dr. Lisa Grable and Dr. Hiller Spires from NCSU.

Connie Woody, Dillard Drive Middle School Career and Technology Education teacher, is a National Board Certified teacher and has participated in the Distinguished Teacher Forum. She has worked on curriculum writing teams for Exploring Life Skills and Exploring Career Decisions. Her project, Math, Science and Technology: Careers and Job Skills for the 21st Century is being developed with Dr. Dick Peterson from NCSU.