National STEM Scholar Class Announced for 2017

Louisville, Ky. – Ten middle school science teachers from eight states across the country have participated in the prestigious National STEM Scholar Program, a unique professional development and networking program to provide advanced training for the teachers of aspiring middle school scientists nationwide.

In 2016, the National Stem Cell Foundation partnered with the The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University to fund competitive scholarships for science teachers motivating students at the tipping point of life-long science interest – middle school. By “training the trainers,” the program seeks to inspire the next generation of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) innovators and pioneers.

The 2017 National STEM Scholar class was hosted by The Gatton Academy from June 4 – 10, 2017 at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This year’s National STEM Scholars were selected from applicants in 25 states and included:

Suzanne Banas, Miami, Florida – South Miami Middle Community School

Kiki Contreras, Shoreline, Washington – The Evergreen School

Katie Donlin, Byron, Minnesota – Byron Middle School

Angela Gospodarek, Gorham, Maine – Gorham Middle School

Jay Hollis, Bowling Green, Kentucky – Bowling Junior High School

John Lui, Dousman, Wisconsin – Kettle Moraine Middle School

Emily McKernan, Brushton, New York – Brushton-Moira Central School

Valerie Pumala, Cameron, Wisconsin – Cameron Middle School

Donna Shartzer, Harned, Kentucky – Breckinridge County Middle School

Dana Young, Hightstown, New Jersey – Melvin H. Kreps Middle School

Read the entire news release at www.nationalstemcellfoundation.org.

Featured

  • K12 Tutoring Earns Every Student Succeeds Act Level II Validation

    Personalized online tutoring service K12 Tutoring recently announced that it has received Level II validation underneath the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), according to a news release. The independently validated study provides evidence of K12 Tutoring’s role in creating positive student outcomes through effective academic intervention and research-based solutions.

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Introduces Claude for Education

    Anthropic has launched a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

  • Design Firm Populous Acquires Fentress Architects

    Design firm Populous, which specializes in sports and entertainment venues, recently announced its acquisition of Fentress Architects, based in Denver, Colo., according to a news release. Fentress’ primary focus is aviation projects and public buildings like museums, convention centers, and government facilities

  • KI Wall Demonstrates New Solutions at NeoCon 2025

    KI Wall attended NeoCon 2025 in Chicago, Ill., last month to showcase its new architectural wall systems and collaborations, according to a news release. Its customizable, design-forward wall solutions are intended to support creativity in work, education, and healthcare environments.

Digital Edition