CEE Holds STEM Teacher Workshops in Virginia

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McLean, VA – February 10, 2020 – The Center for Excellence in Education’s (CEE) Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP) provides  cost-free professional enrichment sessions for middle and high school teachers. TEP is sponsored in Virginia by Amgen Foundation, Boeing, Chevron, Citadel Global Equities, Arnold and Kay Clejan Charitable Foundation, Epic Systems Corporation, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Lockheed Martin, May Family Foundation, Micron Technology, Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, TE Connectivity, Thagard Foundation, Unum, the Virginia Department of Higher Education, Vulcan Materials, and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

“Thanks to our sponsors, CEE is currently engaged with teachers in seven states, including Virginia, offering professional development for STEM teachers to build the U.S. workforce,” said Joann DiGennaro, President of CEE. “All TEP resources and professional development events are cost-free to participants. To date, over 3,070 teachers from 1,390 schools have participated in TEP, impacting over an estimated 543,750 students!”

Teacher Roundtables were held in Roanoke in January and in the Shenandoah Valley last fall. Teacher Roundtables are forums to connect industry and academic representatives with teachers to create awareness of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career fields, the job skills required, and opportunities for their students to explore STEM subjects and career paths.

“Through TEP’s Teacher Roundtables, teachers connect with local companies, organizations, and universities to broaden their perspective of science and engineering in the classroom and learn about the wide variety of STEM careers and opportunities available to their students,” said Kim Edwards, Director of CEE’s TEP program.

The Roanoke Teacher Roundtable was hosted by Roanoke Higher Education Center. Featured speakers were Heather Butler, Science Program Head; Kristian Cusimano, Engineering Manager, Virginia Western Community College; Lesa L. Hanlin, Executive Director, Virginia Tech Roanoke Center; and Lee-Ann O'Dell, Chief Learning Officer, STEM+ Commonwealth Learning Systems.

Attendees in the Shenandoah Valley Teacher Roundtable were surprised when Arconic made a generous donation of $100 for each teacher who attended CEE’s Shenandoah Valley STEM Teacher Roundtable in Harrisonburg, Virginia. “Teachers will be able to use this money to purchase materials needed to conduct a STEM-related activity in their classrooms, further nurturing their interest in STEM careers,” said Ms. Edwards. Featured presenters at the roundtable were Calvin Johnson, Corrective Action Project Manager, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality; and Harpeet Panesar, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology, Blue Ridge Community College.

TEP will hold “Bite of Science” programs in Richmond, Virginia, on April 21 and in Petersburg, Virginia, on April 22. “Bite of Science” programs are designed to improve a teacher’s ability to provide students a context for how science is applied in the real world and inspire students to pursue careers of excellence and leadership in STEM. Another STEM Teacher Roundtable is scheduled for Hampton, Virginia on April 23 and will be hosted by the Virginia Spacegrant Consortium. A regional STEM meeting will also be held in Richmond in June. The full spring schedule is posted online.

Companies and organizations interested in supporting this innovative program are encouraged to contact CEE.

About the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE)
CEE was founded in 1983 by the late Admiral H.G. Rickover and Joann P. DiGennaro, President of the Center. The Center's mission is to nurture high school and university scholars to careers of excellence and leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to encourage collaboration between and among leaders in the global community. CEE sponsors the Research Science Institute (RSI), the USA Biolympiad (USABO), and the Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP). For more information, visit CEE’s web site, https://www.cee.org/

About Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP)
The mission of the Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP) is to assure a future talented and diverse U.S. workforce in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). TEP provides rural and urban underserved high school teachers the opportunity to connect with experts from industry and academia to explore cutting-edge research and make meaningful professional links with direct benefits for their students. Offering free teacher workshops enables TEP to assure a future talented and diverse U.S. workforce in STEM. TEP currently engages teachers in California, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Companies and organizations interested in supporting the nonprofit program are encouraged to contact CEE.

Media Contact: Tom Flavell, (703) 448-9062 ext. 237
 

Related websites:
Center for Excellence in Education: https://www.cee.org 
Research Science Institute: https://www.cee.org/research-science-institute
USA Biolympiad: https://www.cee.org/usa-biology-olympiad-usabo