I am from Brooklyn, New York and I studied biology at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, on the Hudson River. I went to graduate school for environmental science education in the CUNY system. This is my 14th year of teaching. I currently teach upper grades in an alternative public high school in the West Village, Manhattan. I teach environmental science, bio electives and research. We are involved in water quality research in the Hudson River Estuary and we are monitoring oyster growth and mortality rates. This project is a collaborative project that includes sending data to the NY/NJ Baykeeper and rowing in the Hudson on student-built boats with Floating the Apple. Before transferring to City-As-School H.S., I taught 9 years in a public middle school where we created an environmental program which included a community garden, cafeteria waste compost program, overnight camping trips, a Trout in the Classroom project and a Recycle-A-Bicycle program.

I enjoy live music, skiing, biking, rowing, gardening, scuba, backpacking and most things outdoors.

I have received a fellowship to do 2 summers of molecular biology research in a parasitology lab at Columbia University's Department of Public Health. Although I have engaged many students in urban ecology field work, I have little real field research experience. My only rain forest visit was on holiday in the NE Australia. Thus I look forward to immersing myself in the forests of Costa Rican

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Science teacher

My goal as a teacher is to inspire my students to first appreciate the natural world and secondly to understand that their actions can either contribute to the problems or to the solutions of environmental change. As a person, my goal is to live like Edward Abbey advises, to live “as a reluctant enthusiast and part time crusader… for it is not enough to fight for the land, it is even more important to enjoy it”. My interests are so many that I often overwhelm myself. A few of my passions include hiking, camping, playing soccer, tennis, gardening and most recently birdwatching. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. Sandia means watermelon in Spanish and this describes the color of the mountain at sunset. My husband and I moved down to Albuquerque with our two children 5 years ago from Canada. My parents live in Albuquerque and we moved here to be close to them and to enjoy the warmer climate that the southwest has to offer. I met my husband while we were working at a summer camp leading children on month long canoe trips through Quetico Provincial Park. After almost 20 years, we are still enjoying our adventures together. I grew up all over the world, was born in Athens, Greece and lived in places like Singapore and Australia. But I now consider New Mexico my home and cannot even imagine living anywhere else. Where else could I find such a varied outdoor experience within only an hour of my backdoor?

My professional background is in Environmental Science. I attended graduate school at Indiana University where I received my Masters degree. While taking my masters I had the opportunity to participate in two internship programs. I worked at Oak Ridge National Labs working on research to investigate the rate of microbial decomposition of methyl mercury, a contaminate leftover from the nuclear weapons industry. I also worked with Indiana’s State Utility Forecasting Group developing a computer model to help Indiana’s Utilities comply with the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act. Since this time I have worked as a program manager at an Environmental Laboratory and have taught science for 5 years. I currently teach 8th grade Earth systems and 10-12 environmental science at Albuquerque Academy, a private school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am fortunate to work with colleagues who are passionate about teaching and students who are focused and open to learning.

My greatest achievement as a teacher to date has been being recognized by my student Kate Widland to receive the 2000 Presidential Scholar Teacher Award. Although I cannot take any credit for Kate’s brilliance, I am ecstatic to know that I made a difference in her life. She is attending Harvard and is majoring in Environmental Science and Policy. I am confident that the course that I teach, environmental science is giving students an opportunity to go out into the world prepared to make a difference. My students are my hope for the future.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Science Teacher, Science Department

I was born and raised in New York City and despite the brick and concrete I still learned to love nature and the outdoors. I graduated from the City College of New York with a Biology degree and went off to graduate school in the Illinois prairies intending to study insects. There in addition to completing a Master’s degree in Biology & getting married, I discovered the joys of teaching. A Master’s in Library Science from the University of Iowa round off my interest in learning and books. At that point I ended up in Pittsburgh where I did a short stint as a science reference librarian. It was fun but teaching soon beckoned me back and I went on to teach and run introductory biology labs at the University of Pittsburgh. After several more moves and assorted research jobs I eventually landed in Cleveland and chose once again to return to teaching - only this time the high school level. I’ve lived in Cleveland for 20 years, and I’ve taught science at Brush High School for 18 of those years. Brush is a suburban high school with almost 1500 students. I’ve taught a variety of science courses including Physical Science, Chemistry, Environmental Science, the History of Science & Technology and AP Biology. Even now I continue to enjoy working with adolescents.

I especially value teaching active, hands-on mind-on science - I try for lots of labs and activities in my classes. I always strive for my bottom line - to enjoy myself. If I enjoy what I’m doing then so will my students. It’s a wonderful feeling to engage students in learning something new and to see the “light bulbs” go on. As a department coordinator I’ve also assumed a leadership role in my district and have tried to communicate the joys and challenges of teaching.

I was an Access Excellence Fellow in 1996 and greatly benefited from that opportunity so I decided to try for a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. With a longstanding interest in environmental science I felt that I could both contribute to and benefit from the Costa Rica program. I have wanted to visit Costa Rica since reading Dan Janzen’s work. In 1998 I traveled to Tonga and Australia and saw islands, coral reefs, the Outback and temperate and tropical rainforests. That trip only fueled my appetite for further exploration of different ecologies and cultures.

I live in an older suburb close to where I teach with easy access to bookstores, movies, museums, music and restaurants. I enjoy gardening, hiking, camping and traveling. Oh by the way, biology sort of runs in the family- my husband is a biology professor at Cleveland State University and my daughter teaches high school biology. The teaching bug bit her during her Peace Corps experience in Tonga. My students love to imagine our family dinner conversations…. science, travel and tales of South Pacific culture from my Tongan son-in-law.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Teacher, Science Department Coordinator

I love to travel. I think it came from my father, who spends a large amount of time migrating to and fro across the country in his Dodge van. From him I learned the art of gracefully hanging out in the lobby of a hotel in which you are not a guest, and that if you have the right field guide, you can find the fossils that are hiding in those chunks of rock you pass on the highway. I grew up living with my mom and brother, in Buffalo, New York. And to answer the next question yes, our white Opel car was buried so deeply in the snow during the blizzard of '77 that when they finally cleared the streets after two weeks without school, I was there waiting for the schoolbus when the snowplow plowed right into it. I went to a public magnet high school, called City Honors School, that definitely influenced my decision to become a teacher. It was a wonderful nurturing environment with only 83 students in my graduating class, and we hung around long after the end of the school day 'cause we liked it.

I have been teaching for 10 years in Cambridge but before that I worked as a program developer at the Children's Museum, and before that as a Science Staff Development Outreach person at the Museum of Science in Boston. I have taught all age levels from K-post-graduate, and in Cambridge I worked about 4 years in K-6 staff development in science, 2 years with middle schoolers (whew, never again) and 4 ish years at the high school level, which is where I am now. In the summer I try to reach escape velocity as fast as possible, but usually I wind up running some workshop or another. This summer, it will be one called "Living in the Microbial World," a sort of microbial diversity short course for teachers at the MBL in Woods Hole.

The person I think most influenced development of my teaching style was Lynn Margulis, who in addition to developing the Serial Endosymbiotic Theory and co-authoring the Gaia Hypothesis, also helped develop a lot of the Elementary Science Study materials in the sixties. She is an amazing advocate for elementary science education and for student-driven, hands-on learning as a whole. I took her Environmental Evolution course when I was a junior in college, and it was the first time in my life that I was really challenged to synthesize knowledge from multiple fields in order to make sense of ideas. With her support, I was offered a position working with Hubert Dyasi in his Summer Institute at City College, where I got to see real open inquiry in action for the first time: WOW! Basically, since then my mission has been to try to reproduce the feel of that kind of learning in every classroom I work in.

When I am not up to my neck in teaching, or running off to some remote part of the world to find an exotic fruit I have not yet eaten, I spend my time gardening, hiking, biking, listening religiously to "This American Life" on NPR and occasionally even doing art. And why did I sign up for this workshop? Well, I am on a campaign to travel the world alphabetically, and this year the letter is "C." Need I say more?

Courses/Levels taught--Key responsibilities

I teach a freshman interdisciplinary science course (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) which will next year become a PHYSICS FIRST course--all physics, all the time--advice welcome!!!; and a Biology course. My classes are heterogeneously grouped.

Clubs and Extra-Curricular activities

• I am a co-coach of the science team, which is involved in a local Science League, and in the State Science Olympiad.

I live in a small town in the woods of rural southern Maine. I have always lived in New England but love to travel and visit different parts of the country and world. As a traveler I am always looking for new learning opportunities, whether it be scuba diving, backpacking in the White and Rocky Mountains, sharpening my skills as a birder, or participating in summer institutes. It is my hope that my enthusiasm for learning and life comes through in my classroom. I have been teaching at Noble High School in Berwick, Maine for the past 19 years. As a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools, Noble High School is organized into a Team/House structure to promote interdisciplinary projects and community building activities. In September of 2001 we will be moving into a new building and I am very excited about the potentials of the space and technology which will be available to us. At Noble High School I teach Chemistry and Satellite Imagery. The Chemistry program, part of our four-year science requirement, is based around the Chemistry in the Community (ChemCom) program developed by the ACS (American Chemical Society). This program investigates the concepts of chemistry through real-world applications and the on-going pursuit of scientific literacy. I am hoping that my experiences with the OTS program will help to provide a foundation to guide me in my continuing quest to make field work a key component of the chemistry curriculum.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Science Teacher / Chemistry, Satellite Imagery

I live in south central Montana. It is an area of rare mountain beauty. My family has lived in Montana for many years, and it is here that I raised my daughter. My family also owned a small farm for nearly 25 years. For the last nineteen years I have taught at a rural school north of Yellowstone Park. I currently teach all the fine art and sciences for the middle school students, and I also teach language arts for the sixth grade. I have always enjoyed teaching art and language arts, and I really enjoy all the sciences, but my favorite is earth science.

I grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado and spent some glorious childhood summers in the mountains of Colorado on an U.S. Forest Service Experiment Station. My undergraduate studies began in fine art at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, but I finished with bachelor degrees in art education and elementary education at Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana. My master’s degree is in elementary curriculum and instruction and is from Montana State University.

Since completing my formal education degrees, I have pursued my interests in the sciences, and have had the good fortune to attend institutes and workshops on the Oregon Coast, on Cape Cod, on the Colorado River, in Canada, and in Yellowstone Park.

During my life in Montana, I have owned horses and other farm animals, and I have raised basset hounds. I have pursued skiing and the fine arts as hobbies, but right now my passions are reading (good fiction and good science) and spending time in the forests of Montana.

Although my basic educational background is not primarily scientific, my family always maintained interest in the sciences and the natural world. This is a strong influence in my life and in recent years, my favorite teaching assignment has come to be earth science, and when my public school teaching career is over, I think I will work on environmental causes, either in a voluntary, or paid, position.

As a teacher, I would like to think that I am a positive force in the world. The Woodrow Wilson Institute for Environmental Science in Costa Rica is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about working to preserve our environment - and to learn more about how to teach our students how to preserve our natural world.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Middle school teacher

My major goal as an instructor is for students to learn through inquiry, and present their learning in a way that demonstrates the student's true potential. Most of my students will not grow up to work in the disciplines I teach. However, I hope to instill inductive and deductive reasoning skills for finding things out, objective respect for the environment, and for them to never settle for mediocrity in their own work.

My family includes my wife Jill and two cats: Chewbacca and Paco. For a while I thought I had saved Chewbacca from the selection pressures of the cruel world since he has only one eye. However, judging by the amount of moles piled up in my yard, this has not been the case. Paco's girth, on the other hand, may contribute to his eventual demise. My parents live in Manassas, Virginia, where I grew up. My brother lives in Baltimore and is a biostatistician.

My wife and I live in Atlanta-within the perimeter-in a small neighborhood that used to be an army base. It is a wonderful neighborhood that is dominated by loblolly pines that will surely fall on my house soon, leaving even more gap space for the kudzu that is climbing the rest of them. My wife commutes to work by train, saving her the average 2 hours of commuting time most Atlantans face sitting still in traffic, while I carpool and ride my bike to/from work mostly---fight the power!

I was born in Germany while my dad was in the army. My family is from Pittsburgh and we lived in a small coal mining town southwest of there until I was 10. We moved to Manassas, Virginia where I lived until I went to college. I went to school at the University of Georgia from 1986-1990 (B.S. in geology), and 1990-1993 (M.S. paleontology/Paleoecology)---I am a "double dawg". My field research included studying the microfossils/micro-organisms (foraminifera) of St. Catherines Island and Sapelo Island, Ga. comparing the modern salt marsh environments to relict and remnant sediments. I turned down a PhD to study El Nino at Cincinnati which was not too smart.

At UGA I worked in some interesting jobs including the UGA Agricultural Extension Service analyzing water, tissue and grass litter for pesticides and herbicides, at the Center for Applied Isotope Studies working as a carbon dating technician dating artifacts, wood, and human remains, and as an instructor for the UGA Honors Geology traveling field school teaching geology across the US. After my UGA experience, I worked for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division in the Solid Waste and Hazardous Waste Management branches. I regulated and corrected groundwater and soil contamination at various sites. I then switched sides and worked for an environmental consulting firm identifying and cleaning up many kinds of hazardous waste sites. I became a teacher when my wife decided to go to law school. I returned to Athens to work on my certificate and have been teaching for 4 years.

My hobbies revolve around my bike mostly. However, since I have become a homeowner, I am spending a lot of time fixing (breaking) things. I also enjoy staying current in science, camping, and all things outdoors. I also like to cook.

I do not consider myself a great teacher. I am sure there are things I do very well, however I still have many things to learn about teaching in general, and teaching young people. My favorite teaching moments usually come after class when students share how they have extended their classroom learning to real world problems. There are a few students I wish I could bring with me to Costa Rica.

I am extremely fortunate to have been selected for the WWF Costa Rica trip. I feel that this will crystallize many of the things I have read, and learned through research and lecture. I hope I will be able to extend most of this to my students. In particular, I have a great interest in learning how selection pressures in the tropics result in altering the ecosystem and how organisms, in turn by adapting, change the environment. I also am interested in niche adaptations, particularly in insects and bats. I want to see a three toed sloth.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Teacher/ Talented and Gifted Department (TAG) adjunct with the Science Department

Biology has always been my interest. I remember as a little kid, planting bean seeds in my sand box and then digging them up everyday to see what happened. My interests outside school are farm-related. We own a hundred acres and rent other pasture and hay land. We raise beef cattle, sheep, Boer goats, and have four collies. Horses and trail riding are my main hobbies. I love to travel. I also raise a large vegetable garden and play digital piano in our church.

My husband (a former math teacher) now manages a farm supply store. We have three sons and have been married 29 years. My oldest, Ben, is a plant and soil science major who manages a farm supply store. My middle son, Matt, is in his second year of veterinarian school at Auburn. My youngest, John Luther, is a senior in high school and plans to attend the University of Kentucky and also go to veterinarian school.

My undergrad degree is from Georgetown College and my MS is from the University of Kentucky in animal science. I worked in the animal science and pharmacy departments at UK for several years before returning to teaching.

I was born in California (Gilroy, garlic capitol of the world!!) and return to visit nearly every year, but am now a full -fledged Kentuckian, complete with the drawl.

I love my job and my school. I teach in a low socioeconomic area that is changing from rural to more urban. My students are unsophisticated and very appreciative of travel opportunities and extra things I do for them. I have been here for fifteen years. I teach Chemistry I, Chemistry II, and Special Topics in Biology. The topics class is for dual credit and kids get four semester hours of college for it.

I am department chair and have National Board Certification. I also serve as the academic coordinator for Upward Bound. I am branching out and conducting professional developments outside my district, which I really enjoy. I have served as a resource teacher for eight interns (first year teachers).

The most rewarding aspect of my job is traveling with students. I take all of my students to the Red River Gorge in southeastern Ky. for a field trip. I have developed a marine biology trip that lasts eight days and includes the marine biology camp at Newfound Harbor, a snorkeling trip to the Dry Tortugas, a visit to John Pennekamp park, a hiking/ canoeing trip into the Everglades, and a trip to Key West. I do all of the planning and coordinating for this and do it at a very low cost. I take my seniors in the topics class and it is extremely rewarding. Often my students have never seen the ocean or flown in a plane. As I said, many of my students are low income, so I find great rewards in exposing them to the adventures of travel.

Last year I took a group of students to Costa Rica and fell in love with the country. The highlight of the trip was a horseback ride (4 hours) up into the cloud forest at Monte Verde. It doesn’t get any better than that! That trip was my motivation for signing up for this institute.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Biology/Chemistry teacher, Science Department

In 1972, I began my academic career at the University of Minnesota with the goal of becoming a teacher. Spanish became my major because of the rich and rewarding experiences I had as a Rotary exchange student in Argentina during my Junior year of high school. I minored in Earth Science because my academic interest has always been strong in science. Within two years I graduated with distinction and was offered a Teaching Assistant position from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University. I taught a beginning level Spanish course to undergraduate students at the University and continued my studies at the Graduate level. Then I met my Portuguese husband and that ended my teaching career and academic studies. We moved to New Jersey where I helped him manage a bar-restaurant business while raising our two daughters. When the girls were older, I resolved to pursue my original goal of teaching. My academic interests being stronger in the sciences, I decided to earn a Masters Degree in Environmental Sciences from Rutgers University. Although I felt confident and capable of teaching science at the secondary level, no local positions were available upon graduation. I therefore became a consultant for the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

My professional background as an environmental scientist involved the following: technical review and assessment of analytical data; tracking and control of samples, data, and other documents generated in response to regulatory inquiries; scheduling of Contract Laboratory Program (CLP) and non-CLP delivery of analytical services; on-site health and safety monitoring; performance of chemical and physical analyses using field portable instruments; technical assistance and oversight of field investigations and Removal Action activities; collection of site-specific environmental, physical, and demographic information; preparation and review of Preliminary Assessments, Site Investigations, Screening Site Investigations, Federal Facility Reviews, and Quality Assurance Project Plans; and performance of comprehensive training seminars in various field operation procedures and emergency preparedness.

During my last three years as a consultant, I taught HAZMAT decontamination protocol to hospital administrators and emergency responders throughout New York, New Jersey, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. I also taught for 14 years on a volunteer basis at the local parish. Then, on August 28, 1996, a science teacher position opened up in Woodbridge Township. I immediately accepted the opportunity to fulfill my dream of teaching science to secondary level students.

As a science teacher, I endeavor to help students correlate what they learn in the classroom to actual real world experience. My involvement with Project ASTRO NOVA and the Astronomy RBSE program have enabled me to integrate several astronomy concepts into the middle school physical science curriculum. My participation in the 2001 Costa Rica Environmental Science Institute will also provide my students with a broader perspective and involvement in global environmental issues.

I believe it is the vocation and obligation of a good teacher to be so enthusiastic about the subject matter that students work to the limits of their abilities. During the 2000-2001 school year, I was named a recipient of The State of New Jersey Governor’s Teacher Recognition Program based on my rapport with students, and the use of effective instructional techniques and methods.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Science Teacher / Science Staff Leader

I have lived in beautiful Colorado nearly all my life. I graduated with a BA from CU Boulder, received a teaching certificate from CSU Fort Collins, and am currently working on a MAT from CC Colorado Springs. I live in funky Manitou Springs, nestled at the base of Pike’s Peak. I’ve managed to do a bit of travelling, but the Rockies always call me back. I love to hike, camp, horseback ride, boat, garden, read, cook, needlecraft and play volleyball. The pet stores love me. I have fish, a hamster, a gecko, several birds and two sweet puppies that were rescued from the streets of Adana Turkey. (And that’s a whole other story!)

I have been teaching secondary science in Colorado Springs for 14 years. I currently teach high school science at The New Horizons School, our district’s alternative school. I was part of the team that designed the program and opened the building four years ago. It’s one of the most challenging, frustrating and ultimately rewarding things I’ve ever done. The program gets stronger each year and it’s been very exciting seeing us grow and mature. It’s the hardest job I’ve ever loved.

I’ve always enjoyed the out of doors. Last year I joined friends from our district in The Colorado River Trip with help from a TORCH grant. We traced the Colorado River from its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park to the Grand Canyon. It was a great trip. This summer we’ll be on the Green River from near Yellowstone and the Tetons through Flaming Gorge. The river trip experiences led me to apply for the OTS Costa Rica 2001 program and I was thrilled to be accepted. Now if I can just learn a little more Spanish before I go!

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• I teach high school science at The New Horizons School, a small alternative school in Harrison School District 2, Colorado Springs CO. By default I am the department chair as I AM the department!

I was born and raised in Costa Rica. I went to the Panamerican Agricultural School (El Zamorano) in Honduras, where I obtained an Agronomy/Animal Science degree. I then went to the University of Arkansas (piiig !!! sooooie!!!) where I obtained my Agricultural Engineering degree. I presently reside in Augusta, Georgia with my wife, Maria Elena Salazar, and five children: Rafael E. JR. 11 yrs., Gabriela 10yrs., Alexandra 8 yrs., Francisco 7 yrs., and Katerina 16 months.

I previously worked with the USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service, where I was a District Conservationist for nine years. In that capacity, I went to Nicaragua as the team leader of a group of Americans giving technical assistance to that country in watershed restoration and watershed planning after Hurricane MITCH. I am a certified TQM (Total Quality Management) instructor and facilitator. I am also certified to do wetlands delineations by the US Army Corps of Engineers, and am a CPESC (Certified Professional Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Specialist). I am also certified by the Ohio Forestry Association as a Logger with BMP’s (Best Management Practices.)

Right now I teach in a 200-student private school, which was established in 1916 (this is my first year in this school) as a boarding school. This year is the first year that the school is not a boarding school, and has added grades tenth through twelfth. We are in the process of building a brand new campus with top of the line environmental consciousness (cisterns in the roofs to collect rain water and irrigate by gravity the soccer fields, daylight concept, recycled materials, solar energy, etc).

I enjoy hunting and fishing with my kids, as well as going camping.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Middle School and High School Science Teacher

I currently live in Williamsburg, Virginia, but originally I am from Auburn, Massachusetts; a town an hour west of Boston. I grew up with 1 sister and 3 brothers, the middle child in a group of 5. I have always been interested in the "great outdoors" and enjoyed hiking and fishing as a child, so I was considered a bit of a "tomboy". While in High School I volunteered at the Worcester Science Center, where I learned about animal care, wildlife biology, and the importance of teamwork and good friends. I earned my Bachelor of Science Degree at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where I had the opportunity to participate in a variety of field projects which included the study of black bears, grassland birds and spotted salamanders. These valuable experiences were all a part of my growing interest in wildlife biology. It was while I was there I met my future husband Dan. We have been in Virginia for over 12 years now, and its here that my interests turned towards education. In 1994 I earned my second degree, a Masters in Education from the College of William and Mary. Since moving to Virginia I have had the opportunity to participate in other biology research projects: studies of prairie falcons, Indiana bats and bobwhite quail. Fortunately for me, the opportunity to put wildlife and education came when a position opened at the museum, and it has been a dream come true to teach children and adults about the wonders of nature.

Work Information

Job Title/Department
Courses/Levels taught--Key responsibilities

I have been teaching a wide variety of environmental education programs at the Virginia Living Museum for over 5 years. Our classes are designed to coordinate with state learning standards as well as the curriculum requirements of public and private school systems throughout eastern Virginia. While I teach formal classes for students from grades K - 12, I also do a lot of informal education through our other programs: summer children's classes, museum volunteer training sessions, Elderhostel programs, overnight camp-ins, and a variety public trips. These trips include caving, wildflower walks, fossil collecting and local canoe excursions. In addition, the museum offers week long field adventures for middle school students where we teach mountain or barrier island ecology using in-depth and interactive methods. Mine is a hands-on job that is a great deal of fun! I am looking forward to this institute for a variety of reasons. First and foremost is the opportunity to experience first-hand the beauty of Costa Rica while at the same time participate in important rainforest habitat and preservation studies. The second reason is the opportunity to network and learn from other participates in the program, and lastly I hope that I will bring back a wealth of information about global habitat change to share with my colleagues at the museum as well as the students in my classes. I have already discussed the possibility of adding special programs about my experiences in Costa Rica to our selection of programs.

Projects

My latest project was the organization and coordination of International Migratory Bird Day at the Museum on May 12, 2001. This event was professionally rewarding as well as a great deal of fun. One outcome of the day's event was that we helped to raise awareness that shade grown coffee plantations are often more beneficial to migratory birds and other wildlife than other types of coffee plantations. Visitors to the museum had the opportunity to sample shade grown coffee, meet falconers, learn about mist netting, make bird houses, and participate in a variety of bird related talks, as well as purchase some bird friendly blooms at our wildflower sale. I am hoping to get to work on another event soon.

School Information

Virginia Living Museum
524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd.
Newport News, VA 23601

Contact Information

E-mail address
No Email Address

Office phone/voice mail
757-595-1900

Favorite Links

• http://www.valivingmuseum.org
• http://www.nearctica.com

I was born and raised in Paris, attended high school here, and at the age of twenty, came back and began teaching. I have taught science and social studies for the past twenty-six years. During that time I have taught Earth Science, Biology, chemistry, Physical Science, general science, and AP as well as several social studies courses. Teaching has allowed me the opportunity to do many different things and to see many different places. I studied science education for a month in Japan as a part of the Fullbright Teachers Program. I have done graduate research at Texas A/M University, at the University of Oklahoma, and at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. I have taught workshops for NSTA at Orlando, St. Louis, and Tulsa as well as at several state and regional seminars. One of my neatest experiences was to work as a nuclear chemist for a summer with Arkansas Nuclear One. I have also worked for the Corps of Engineers as a Park Ranger during the summer and supervised over 120 teenagers through the Summer Youth Employment Program. At Paris, I teach both social studies and science, drive a school bus, announce ball games, and all the other things that comes from teaching at a small school. My educational background includes a bachelors degree in science education and a masters in science from Arkansas Tech University. I am working on a PHD in Environmental Dynamics from the University of Arkansas where I am conducting research in the water quality of a karst plain environment. I teach classes in science education and environment at Arkansas Tech and the University of the Ozarks on a part time basis. I have two sons, both in college. The youngest plans to be a teacher. My wife and I enjoy the outdoors, hiking, camping, and exploring caves. I also enjoy playing softball, basketball, and horseback riding. I am looking forward to the seminar in Costa Rica and in meeting each of you.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Science Department Chair , Paris High School

Hello! My name is Julia Lee Feeback-Wilson and I am a 26 year old science teacher at Central High Magnet Career Academy in Louisville, Kentucky. I have just completed my third year in teaching and am currently working toward my Master’s degree in Secondary Education and School Administration at Indiana University. I graduated cum laude with divisional honors in 1998 from Kentucky State University with a Bachelors of Science in Biology Education, and jumped straight into teaching high school Biology and Environmental Science. Although at one point in my life I said, “I will never be a teacher!” because both of my parents have taught, becoming an educator was one of the best decisions I have ever made!

I grew up in a little town east of Louisville called Mt. Washington. My cultural experience was very limited, as I was one of only a few “minorities” in the school system. Therefore, attending a historically black university, and now teaching in a school where 60% of the population is African American, I had to learn to adapt very quickly. I attribute this skill to my wonderful parents, Harry and Sharon.

I went to college on a full scholarship with the United States Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service. During the first three years of my undergraduate study, I did summer internships in three different areas of Kentucky, two urban and one rural. When I lost my scholarship (a mixed blessing!), I had no idea what was in store for me. All I knew was that I wanted to finish college! Since I was more than 75% finished with my degree in Biology, I switched my degree program to Biology Education. I loved it, and as they say, “the rest is history!”

I think that I am a good teacher because I am firm but fair, consistent, and I work hard to develop a rapport with my students so they know that I truly care about them and their futures. An awesome teaching moment for me is when you know your students have really learned something and you can see that little light bulb clicking on!

I have been married to my husband, Ozell since 1999, and we have one baby, a Bouvier des Flanders named Ms. Marley. My future goals include being a high school principal, becoming a mother and staying happy.

I am very honored to have been chosen as a part of the 2001 Leadership Program for Teachers in Costa Rica, and I am looking forward to having a positive, once in a lifetime experience!

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Science Teacher

I come from a cold background. Grew up in Rochester, NY and live in Boston, MA. So, Costa Rica is going to be a bit of a shock. I am a second career teacher, coming from a 10 year stint in software design. With degrees in Biology and Computer Science (thought I’d make those 5+ years as an undergrad worth it) I figured a career in medical systems (Massachusetts General Hospital) would fit the bill. But, as most teachers know, change happens. As volunteer educator at the New England Aquarium I realized my teaching interest was calling. And, since I was in Boston, I found a very good education program for mid-career folks like me. This summer’s CR activity is a culmination of my, “curiousity is contageous,” philosophy. I have been studying and taking classes since I started teaching. Funny how that works. I love a good joke and attempt them myself. As is the case, most of the time the students don’t seem to see the humor in it.

Work Information

Job Title/Department

• Life and Environmental Science Teacher