Science Teaching Tools Awards 2012 Application Form
Science Teaching Tools Awards (STTA)
AFCEA Hampton Roads Chapter realizes the importance of encouraging students to study the Scientific, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines that support our industry's focus on the design, development, manufacture, maintenance, and operation of communications, electronics, information technology, and intelligence systems. We believe that effective STEM education at the middle school and high school levels can capture students' interest and inspire them to study the "hard" subjects as STEM majors when they enter college. The STEM Teaching Tools Award (STTA) Program is a joint effort of the AFCEA International Educational Foundation and the AFCEA Hampton Roads Chapter to promote effective STEM education by enhancing the resources available to STEM teachers in middle schools and secondary schools in the Hampton Roads area.
For 2012, the Hampton Roads Chapter plans to award $8,000 in STTAs to high school and middle school STEM teachers from public and private schools in the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Suffolk who have applied for grants up to $1,000.
Guidelines
AFCEA Hampton Roads Chapter will consider all applications submitted by public or private high school and middle school STEM teachers in the Hampton Roads area.
- Grants are intended for such items or activities as consumable supplies, hardware, software, SMART boards, projectors or other equipment. Grants can also be used to fund extra-curricular activities sponsored by STEM teachers such as robotics clubs, math clubs, and FIRST competitions.
- The primary selection criteria will be the application's potential for effectively demonstrating scientific and mathematical principles through classroom demonstrations and experiments. A secondary criteria is the number of students who will benefit from the award in the current and future school years. In the case of proposals of equal merit, preference will be given to proposals submitted by teachers from schools with limited math/science education budgets and/or a student body with a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students.
- Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded directly to the teachers who submit the top ranked proposals. It is clearly understood that the materials and equipment purchased with STTA funds will be used to support STEM classroom activities.
- The number of awards will depend on the amounts requested in the top-ranked proposals.
How to Apply for a STEM Teaching Tools Award (STTA)
To apply, complete the STTA application cover sheet and attach a short (5 pages maximum) proposal describing how you will use STTA funds to improve the learning environment in your classroom. Ensure that your application/proposal includes the following information:
- Course Name and Description; i.e., grade level and general course objectives
- Project Description
- Describe the classroom activity that will be funded by a STTA
- Cost of materials to fund the activity (Itemized list)
- Number of students who will participate in the activity or otherwise benefit this year
- Describe carry-over benefits to students in future years if this request is funded
- Financial Need Considerations
- What is the school's budget (per student) for math/science classroom consumable supplies and equipment for the current school year?
- Have you already purchased classroom supplies or equipment out-of-pocket to support this year's curriculum? If so, how much have you spent to date?
- Are lab/activity fees are collected from students enrolled in your school's math/science classes? If so, how much?
- What percentage of the school's students receives either free or reduced price meals through the National School Lunch Program?
- Place your name and your school's name at the top of each page.
- Please observe the 5-page proposal page limit, using 1" top/bottom/left/right margins and a minimum 10 pt font size.
Submission and Award Schedule
The AFCEA HR Chapter will solicit applications in late summer and early fall 2012 when teachers return to school for the new school year. We realize that the start of the school year is a very busy time for teachers, but we ask for applications in September because we want to get money into the hands of teachers as early as possible in the school year. If you have questions regarding the Science Teaching Tools Awards, send them via e-mail to Scholarships@afceahamptonroads.org or contact Ms. Mary Yager, (757) 464-5252.
2011 STEM Teaching Tools Awards Winners
In November 2011, the following teachers received awards totaling $9,872.32:
- Ms. Kathy Applebee, John F Kennedy Middle School, Suffolk Public Schools; The Metamorphosis Project is a multi subject and grade level collaboration that would transform one of the school’s enclosed courtyards into an outdoor classroom. Several classes and the Environmental Club would work together to create this hands on learning environment (outdoor classroom with weather station, butterfly house and garden). ($979.00)
- Dr. James Barger, Landstown High School & Technology Academy, Virginia Beach Public Schools; Purchase two 2011 FIRST Robotics Competition Kits, one without the LEGO MINDSTORMS Set for the Engineering classes. ($1,000)
- Ms. Tonya Bates, Hugo Owens Middle School, Chesapeake Public Schools; Equipment and Materials for After School Science Labs open to all 6th, 7th and 8th grade Science students to reinforce the topics covered in class. ($1,000)
- Ms. Demorrow Bond-Lee, Ghent Elementary School (Includes Grades K-8; Inclusion-Based Setting – with both regular and special education students learning together), Norfolk Public Schools; Equipment and Materials for performing higher quality labs ($1,000)
- Ms. Kelli Caras, John Yeates Middle School, Suffolk Public Schools; Equipment and Materials for STEM Club activities to introduce Middle School Students to the various STEM areas ($1,000)
- Ms. Elaine Hansen, Hickory High School, Chesapeake Public Schools; Scientific Analytical Lab Balance for performing AP Chemistry Labs ($1,000, since the equipment costs more than $1,000, the school will fund the remainder of the costs)
- Ms. Leslie Maudlin, Maury High School, Norfolk Public Schools; Scientific Analytical Lab Balance for performing AP Chemistry Labs ($1,000, since the equipment costs more than $1,000, the school will fund the remainder of the costs)
- Ms. Danielle Morgan, Churchland High School, Portsmouth Public Schools; VEX Robotics Equipment for Honors Physics, Principles of Technology and afterschool program ($1,000)
- Mr. Gregory Nottingham, Renaissance Academy (Alternative School), Virginia Beach Public Schools; Robotics (LEGO MINDSTORM) Equipment and Software for 8th grade Science Classes and afterschool STEM Program ($894.32)
- Mr. Kevin Pace, Technical Career Education Center, Virginia Beach Public Schools; STEM Robotics Competition (SRC) – to fund the Middle School Economically Disadvantaged Students involvement in the program, which is a citywide program. ($1,000)
2010 STEM Teaching Tools Awards Winners
In October 2010, the following teachers received awards totaling $8,800.59:
- Ms. Wendy Baylor & Jessamyn Viado, Green Run High School, Virginia Beach Public Schools; 64" SMARTboard Model SB660 (Equipment will be purchased by AFCEA HR Chapter and shipped to the school)
- Ms. Stefanie Connix, Hickory High School, Chesapeake Public Schools; 64" SMARTboard Model SB660 (Equipment will be purchased by AFCEA HR Chapter and shipped to the school)
- Ms. MaryAnn Davis, Christ the King (Middle School), Private School; SMART Integrated Document Camera Model SDC-330 (Equipment will be purchased by AFCEA HR Chapter and shipped to the school)
- Ms. Krista Dunn, Mr. Philip Dabney, Ms. Zora Poland & Ms. Joy Woodward, Lake Taylor High School, Norfolk Public Schools; CD-ROM Atlas of the World Program and Explorer Globe ($965.00)
- Ms. Anne Mannarino, Virginia Beach Office of Curriculum, Virginia Beach Public Schools; Vernier Probe Software Sensors/software/STEM manuals/computer supplies and components to build Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) kits for teachers ($1,000)
- Ms. Kimberly Nixon, Lake Taylor High School, Norfolk Public Schools; Laboratory Materials – Stock Chemicals ($750.00)
- Ms. Frances Shaneyfelt, Brandon Middle School, Virginia Beach Public Schools; 64" SMARTboard Model SB660 (Equipment will be purchased by AFCEA HR Chapter and shipped to the school)
- Ms. Hillary Weir, Ruffner Academy (Middle School), Norfolk Schools; Laboratory Equipment/Supplies ($999.60)
- Ms. Tracy Williams, Forest Glenn Middle School, Suffolk Public Schools; Basic Supplies for Science Classes ($395.99)
- Ms. Anne Petersen, Science Teacher, Gloucester High School; Tidewater Science Foundation Nomination - Science Fair Materials, Robotics Competition Fees, STEM Project Supplies for Middle & High School ($1,000)
2010 SAIC Sponsored STEM Teaching Tools Awards Winners
In December 2010, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) generously provided additional funding for STTAs in Hampton Roads. The following teachers received these SAIC sponsored awards totaling $4,187.74:
- Mr. Louis Garland, John Yates Middle School, Suffolk; CHROME (Cooperating Hampton Roads Organization for Minorities in Engineering) Math and Science after school program for the Sea Perch Program, underwater robotics system building and testing. - Robotics Materials ($1,000)
- Ms. Susan Hodges, Western Branch High School, Chesapeake; Participation in the Distance Learning Network (DLN) session "Can a Shoebox Fly?" - Experiment Materials ($633.49)
- Mr. Kevin Pace, Technical Career Education Center, Virginia Beach; Build competition Arenas for the Virginia Beach Robotics Competition (VBRC) for Norfolk, Chesapeake and VA Beach schools. - Arena Materials ($684.25)
- Ms. Barbara Taber, Churchland High School, Portsmouth; Support the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program is a world-wide hands-on primary and secondary school-based science and education program ($1,000)
- Ms. Valerie Tuck and Mr. Rickey Ross, Lake Taylor High School, Norfolk; CHROME (Cooperating Hampton Roads Organization for Minorities in Engineering) rocketry Project Support ($870.00)