District Five teacher earns national Teacher of Excellence Award
November 13, 2014
CHAPIN, SC – A Lexington-Richland School District Five teacher was one of seven educators from around the country recognized at Project Lead The Way’s national summit this month.
Rebecca Howell, a PLTW biomedical science master teacher at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies, received the group’s National Teacher of Excellence Award. A nationwide initiative, PLTW is aimed at helping students prepare for careers in science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM careers. Around 19,000 teachers in 6,500 schools nationwide offer PLTW courses to students.
“To be chosen by the nation’s leading STEM providers as one of the seven (out of 19,000) that they wanted to honor was incredibly humbling,” Howell said. “I know the caliber of teachers nationwide that are a part of this network, and I know the incredible things many of them are doing. It is a high honor to know that my efforts in my classroom, in training other teachers, and in helping to develop the PLTW network stood out.”
PLTW and its partners selected Howell and six others for honors this year based on strong alignment to PLTW’s foundational values of leadership, continuous improvement, innovation and accountability, according to a release by the group. The Center for Advanced Technical Studies received PLTW certification in 2013, within the first year of the school opening to offer technical skills courses to students.
In 2006, Howell led a pilot program when the biomedical science program was first launching nationwide. She has written questions for national assessments and served as a mentor teacher for new instructors teaching biomedical science. Outside the classroom, Howell is a health occupations student association advisor for her school, and the South Carolina Department of Education has recognized her as a leader in her field.
“Rebecca is a leader and visionary in the field,” said Julie Krusen, District Five’s 2013-2014 Teacher of the Year and a co-instructor of biomedical science at The Center. “It is a huge honor to be one of the PLTW teachers recognized out of thousands of PLTW teachers across the nation, and we are so fortunate to have Rebecca as part of our biomedical science program and our school.”
The Center for Advanced Technical Studies provides a standalone facility for District Five students to build technical skills, gain certifications and earn credits. Opened in August 2012 and attended by students from the district’s four high schools, The Center offers high-tech courses in a variety of areas from biomedical science and auto mechanics to alternative energy and graphic design.
The biomedical science program at The Center includes a sequence of courses and hands-on activities exploring concepts of human medicine, physiology, genetics, microbiology and public health. As a PLTW program, students are also provided with an opportunity to receive college credits at PLTW affiliated colleges and universities.
Howell said, “We have the students, facilities, equipment, and leadership we need to make this program one of the best in the country. We are very proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, but know that there is always more to be done to make sure our students gain every possible advantage because of this program.”
