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The Trenton and Princeton ACS
sections have been jointly sponsoring the Outstanding High
School Chemistry Teacher Award since 2006. The purpose of the
award is to recognize the work and dedication of chemistry
teachers in area schools. Two “Outstanding Teachers” are
selected, one representing each section.
Early in the year, educators
from area schools were asked to nominate teachers they felt were
worthy of special recognition. The selection criteria were
teaching quality, ability to challenge and inspire students,
extracurricular work in chemistry, a willingness to keep
up-to-date in the field, and evidence of leadership and/or
active involvement within the profession.
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Winners
Karen Shannon (l) and James
Gessner (r)
after receiving the award from Kitty Wagner,
Chair 2010 |
We are proud to
announce that this year’s winners are James Gessner
from Delaware Valley Regional High School and Karen
Shannon from West Windsor-Plainsboro HS South.
Presentation of the awards took place on Wednesday,
May 19, 2010 at the meeting of the Princeton Section
of the ACS. The winners received plaques and checks
for $250.
James Gessner brought his
skills and experience from a previous career as a pilot for
American Airlines to the teaching of Chemistry. He has been
teaching science and chemistry at Delaware Valley since 2003.
One of his recent interests has been working with other
chemistry faculty to redesign the ‘Chemistry in the ‘Community
curriculum to make it more relevant to the students. Quoting
form his letter of recommendation “he is a teacher who sincerely
cares about the quality of his teaching and the effects that it
has on his students.”
Karen Shannon has been a
teacher at West Windsor-Plainsboro HS South since 2004. She
began her teaching career in 1972 and since then has taught
Chemistry in several New Jersey high schools. One of her more
recent projects was an initiative of Rider University sponsored
by Bristol Myers Squibb. She was part of a team of teachers in
WW-P that mapped how a central concept in science reiterates
throughout our science curriculum from grades 3 to 12. Quoting
from her letter of recommendation “Karen has the gift of being
able to patiently explain and deconstruct complex concepts in
ways that allow all students to understand.”
Both James Gessner and Karen
Shannon fit the description of an “Outstanding Chemistry
Teacher”! |
