The Ohio Academy of Science selected 48 schools in Ohio, including 13 in the Diocese of Cleveland, and 615 teachers, including 172 from schools in the diocese, to receive the Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards for Excellence in STEM education and Student Research.
Schools in the diocese and the number of teachers receiving the honor are St. Sebastian in Akron, 19 teachers; Holy Trinity in Avon, 10 teachers; St. Raphael in Bay Village, eight teachers; St. Ambrose in Brunswick, 19 teachers; St. Mary in Chardon, 13 teachers; St. Agatha-St. Aloysius in Cleveland, five teachers; St. Paschal Baylon in Highland Heights, 13 teachers; Seton Catholic in Hudson, 14 teachers; St. Francis Xavier in Medina, 20 teachers; St. Peter in North Ridgeville, 17 teachers; St. Albert the Great in North Royalton, 16 teachers; Incarnate Word Academy in Parma Heights, 26 teachers; and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Wooster, 12 teachers.
STEM education is the mastery of and integration of science, technology, engineering and math in the curriculum for all pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students. It incorporates scientific inquiry and technological design through student-focused, project-based curricula to develop skills of communication, teamwork/collaboration, creativity/innovation, critical thinking and problem solving.
There are two criteria for the Thomas Edison Awards:
● Conduct a local science fair with 12 or more students and have two or more of the students participate in the District Science Day or have six or more students participate in the District Science Day when no local event was conducted.
● Students must participate in at least one more youth science opportunity beyond the classroom.
The Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards were established in 1985 to recognize Ohio schools and teachers who stimulate scientific student research and technical design and extend experiential opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities.
“These schools and teachers are preparing students for the future through application-based learning. Their students are learning and gaining confidence by solving complex problems through inquiry and technological design,” said Michael Woytek, executive director of the OAS.
The academy initiated the educational partnership in cooperation with the governor’s office and the Technology Division of the Ohio Development Services Agency to recognize schools and teachers for the excellence in STEM education and scientific student research.
The OAS, founded in 1891, is a membership-based, volunteer-driven, not-for-profit organization. For more information on OAS, click here.