December 2005 Issue

Pre-college Engineering Academy Teacher Selected as Presidential Award Finalist

Nancy Schunke with her students

Nancy Schunke (back, 2nd from l) and her engineering students at Dunbar Middle School

Nancy Owens Schunke, a science and engineering instructor at Dunbar Middle School, has been named a national finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching.

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is the nation's highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science. The award recognizes exemplary K-12 teachers for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession.

Schunke is one of three finalists from the state of Texas who were recognized by the Texas Education Agency at the 2006 Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching. From the three state finalists, one teacher will be selected as a national award recipient.

“Nancy has a heart for sharing her knowledge of engineering with students and she understands the importance of passing on that passion to other teachers as well.”

Schunke was nominated for the award by John Chandler, Ph.D., a director of the Center for Engineering Outreach. Schunke is a long-time instructor for the center's teacher training workshops and has been instrumental in developing the center's Introduction to Robotics Workshop. Dunbar Middle School, where Schunke teachers, is one of the center's Pre-college Engineering Academy schools.

"We're thrilled by Nancy's recognition," said Chandler. "Nancy has a heart for sharing her knowledge of engineering with students and she understands the importance of passing on that passion to other teachers as well."

Following her nomination, Schunke completed a lengthy application process that required her to submit a video tape of a lesson that she had created and taught in the classroom along with an essay reflecting on the lesson and her teaching philosophies in general.

National award winners will be announced in March and will travel to Washington DC to meet with the National Science Foundation, legislators and the President of the United States. In addition, national award winners receive a cash award of $10,000.