Innovative Educators Award Winners Chosen

Teachers doing outstanding work to prepare the region's students for high-tech careers are being honored with the Tech Valley Innovative Educator Awards, part of this year's Summit in Tech Valley.

The awards competition, which is sponsored by CDPHP and Collins + Scoville Architects, P.C., recognizes teachers at the elementary, middle and high school levels in the Tech Valley region who have made extraordinary contributions and brought innovation to the fields of math, science and technology. The winners will be recognized at an assembly at each of their respective schools and presented a $1,500 check to purchase technology equipment for their classroom or school.

The award recipients, as determined by a panel of judges, are: Jonathan Nix, first-grade teacher and Scott Adams, fifth-grade teacher at Vail Farm Elementary School, Arlington Central School District in LaGrangeville, NY (elementary); Michael Lai, teaching assistant/computer lab (Pre-K through eighth grade) at North Albany Academy, Albany School District in Albany, NY (middle); and, Tammie Borland, high school teacher at Questar III Rensselaer Education Center in Troy, NY (high school).

The winners will be honored both at the Summit and at special assemblies, as follows: Tuesday, April 17 at 9:30 a.m. at North Albany Academy; Thursday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m. at Vail Farm Elementary School; and, Friday, April 27 at 9:30 a.m. at Questar III Rensselaer Education.

"CDPHP is proud to once again sponsor the Tech Valley Innovative Educator Awards," said Dr. William J. Cromie, president & CEO of CDPHP. "Educating and retaining our young people – the leaders of tomorrow – begins with the work of great teachers in our schools today."

"As a school architect in the Capital Region, our goal is to create improved school facilities that enhance the learning and teaching environment," said Randolph J. Collins, AIA, principal of Collins + Scoville Architects, P.C. "This program highlights the many positive things that are happening in our public schools by recognizing important efforts and accomplishments of educators who are really making a difference in the lives of students."

The seventh annual Summit – the region’s premier high-tech gathering which draws hundreds of CEOs, presidents and senior-level executives from the technology, business, government and academic communities – is set for Monday, May 14, in the hangar at the Million Air terminal at Albany International Airport.

Berkshire Bank, through its Greater Berkshire Foundation, will serve as the major sponsor of the 2007 Summit for the second consecutive year; the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce, Albany International Airport, First Albany, FOX23 WXXA-TV/DT, Midhudsonmedia, National Grid and the Times Union will serve as Summit sponsors. Red Herring is the national media sponsor. Chamber of Commerce sponsors include Plattsburgh-North Country, Rensselaer County and Schenectady County.

The Summit will once again include a $100,000 Business Plan Competition that has led to great success for previous winners. For the fifth consecutive year, the law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP is serving as lead sponsor of the business plan competition; Albany Molecular Research Inc., MapInfo Corporation, New York Business Development Corporation and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are major supporters of the competition. Blue Slate Solutions LLC, MARKTECH Optoelectronics and UHY Advisors NY Inc. are participating sponsors.

In a new feature to be implemented at this year's Summit, attendees will choose to visit either MapInfo Corporation, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies or The Wadsworth Center in the afternoon, with each venue offering unique programming. In addition, a video presentation of the Tech Valley Innovative Educator Awards will be shown.

"With the increased emphasis that is being placed on mixing technology with education in this region, the link between the business and education communities is absolutely crucial," said Chamber Senior Vice President Ann Wendth, who is the lead organizer of the Summit. "The Innovative Educator Awards program illustrates the important responsibility that our educators have in preparing the future workforce of this country."

Jonathan Nix and Scott Adams wanted their students to develop mentoring relationships. While "Reading Buddies" is the common model for first and fifth grade collaboration, Nix and Adams believe science is often under taught in elementary school, so the idea of "Science Buddies" was born.

Last year, Nix and Adams combined their classrooms to engage their students in a program called Trout in the Classroom. The program enables students and teachers to raise trout from eggs in their classroom and release the fingerlings in a local stream in the spring. Neither teacher had ever attempted a project of this sort, but the program fit both the first and fifth-grade curriculums.

Each class used the trout to connect to and enrich existing science units. The first-graders integrated the trout into their studies of the life cycles of plants and insects. Fifth-graders used the trout to extend and enrich their curriculum in ecology and human impact on the environment.

Students developed an understanding of trout and their ecosystem, collaborated to collect and record data, make predictions and draw conclusions. In addition to the educational rewards, the project was a perfect mentoring opportunity for the fifth-graders. The first-graders looked up to the older kids and the relationships that developed were beneficial for all the students.

This year, a second aquarium has been added to the first-grade classroom to ease the over-crowding around the tank when both classes get together to do observations. The fifth-graders have also begun looking at the nitrogen cycle that exists in the tank, and will be completing experiments this spring using the water from the tank to fertilize plants they will grow in the classroom.

Michele Schneider, whose daughter Carly took part in the Trout in the Classroom project, says, "This program has so many positive aspects for the children involved. Mr. Adams and Mr. Nix designed the program to act as enrichment for the children's 'Hands on Science' experience. When else will my daughter have the chance to watch and be a part of raising trout from eggs to fully formed fish?"

Michael Lai works alongside classroom teachers to support students in a variety of learning activities. He aids the primary and intermediate instructional staff by ensuring that students are receiving additional practice in Math and English Language Arts in the computer lab. He works with the middle school Technology teachers to help students create meaningful projects; research and design.

The project Lai is most proud of is creating a Robotics Team at North Albany Academy, despite no prior experience with the technology. Lai has done an outstanding job of quickly adopting a technology, introducing it to students and exciting them about mathematics, science and engineering.

The North Albany Academy Robotics team has competed in the First Lego League Robotics Tournament at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute the last two years, winning first prize in the robot design category last year and taking third place in the total points category this year. Lai, in conjunction with RPI, recently presented to the state legislature in an effort to encourage the expansion of engineering in our schools.

Lai has also been instrumental in the procurement of appropriate hardware to support wireless Internet access, LCD projection for large group instruction and entertainment, as well as Smart Board technology. He also created a digital yearbook, as an alternative to the traditional and costly paper bound version. The yearbook was recorded in DVD and offered to the North Albany Academy community for a nominal fee.

Lai's guidance has had an impact on the entire North Albany Academy community. Kolel Bevelle, one of Lai's students says, "Mr. Lai helps us out when we are confused about robotics. I'm so thankful to him for accepting me in robotics. Without robotics I’d have to after school activities to go to."

Tammie Borland is a teacher in the New Visions program of Questar III, located at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. New Visions has four programs for high school seniors to explore career options from a real-world perspective. Borland is part of the "Math, Engineering, Technology and Science" program, teaching science and engineering.

In Borland's classroom, technology is something students learn both with and from. She is a strong proponent of "project-based learning," focusing on student-centered instruction, authentic experiences and problem-oriented activities, exploration and experimentation. She creates an atmosphere that challenges and inspires her students.

Borland presents real-world challenges with authentic assessments. Her students receive both individual and team grades. She introduces her students to businesspeople, scientists and experts in various technology fields.

In terms of challenging her students, Borland may ask, "What has to happen in Tech Valley to cut fossil fuel use in half?" Students must learn about the politics, economics and technology of electricity, including super conductors and alternative energy. They visit businesses such as SuperPower and meet with a variety of local professionals and professors from RPI. At the end of the assignment, students team-up to present their findings - learning teamwork and presentation skills.

As Tech Valley High School took shape, Borland was a strong member of the Strategic Planning Committee, serving with leaders from business, organized labor and higher education. Doctor Susan Lehrman, president of the Graduate College of Union University and chair of the Strategic Planning Committee says, "I truly believe that innovation and collaboration are critical to improving our educational system. Tammie Borland embodies both – in the classroom, where she helps shape young minds and in the community, where she helps shape the education of tomorrow."