COLUMBUS — The Ohio Academy of Science recently selected 45 Ohio schools and 460 teachers to receive Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards for Excellence in STEM Education for their accomplishments during the 2015-2016 school year. Each school will receive a special Governor’s Award certificate, and each teacher will receive a complementary membership to The Ohio Academy of Science. The Technology Division of the Ohio Development Services Agency funded the program.

Local teachers include:

Anna High School: Scott Swartz, Dixie Durkee, Dona Furrow and Vicki Quinter.

Lehman Catholic High Schoool: Tracy Hall, Ginny Scherer, and Leah Bertke.

The criteria for the Thomas Edison Award for Excellence are:

• To conduct a local science fair with 20 or more students,

• Qualify one or more of these students for one of the Academy’s 16 district science days,

• Have students participate in at least one more youth science opportunity beyond the classroom such as State Science Day, visits to museums, mentorship programs and extended field trips and

• Convince external professionals from STEM business and industry, government and academia employers how and to what extent the school’s program met the Academy’s definition of STEM education.

First established in 1985, the Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards recognizes Ohio schools and teachers who stimulate student scientific research and technological design and extend opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities. Students must participate in one or more youth science opportunities beyond the classroom, including District and State Science Day, Believe in Ohio, Invention Convention, The Ohio Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Buckeye Science and Engineering, Science Olympiad and other structured STEM-related youth activities. “These schools and teachers push the boundaries of the traditional classroom by advising and mentoring student originated research and other hands-on experiences”, said Michael E. Woytek, the Academy’s Interim-CEO.

The Ohio Academy of Science initiated this educational partnership program in cooperation with The Office of The Governor and The Technology Division of The Ohio Development Services Agency to recognize schools and teachers who stimulate student scientific and technological research and extend STEM education opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities. The Technology Division of The Ohio Development Services Agency has supported this program since 1985 by grants to The Ohio Academy of Science.

Forty-three professionals ─ broadly representing STEM employers from business and industry, government and academia ─ evaluated the applications in a blind review process: Abbott Laboratories, AEP Ohio, Battelle, Case Western Reserve University, Central State University, Chamberlain College of Nursing, Cleveland State University, DeVry University, Dinsmore & Shore LLP, Lake County ESC, Mother Teresa Catholic ES, NEOMED, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Ohio Dominican University, Ohio Northern University, Ohio State University, OSU Wexner Medical Center, Ottawa Hills HS, Otterbein University, Proctor & Gamble, Purdue University, St. Mary School, Seton Catholic School, State of Ohio, TRC, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Dept. of Energy, U.S. Geological Survey, University of Cincinnati, University of Findlay, Wright Patterson AFB