Science Institute for Teaching
Thirty-eight Manatee County teachers completed the Science Institute for Teaching’s 2007 training program, an intensive weeklong training course held at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, where teachers gained new tools to help teach math, science, engineering and technology to their students.
Lockheed Martin’s Partnership with Manatee County Schools
The Science Institute for Teaching was made possible by sponsorship by Lockheed Martin of the Manatee County School District's Education Foundation in 2006. The funds were designed to help support teaching in the fields of science and technology, helping the District additionally to expand its Science Fair program and enhance its environmental education courses. "Lockheed Martin has become a true and trusted partner with the Manatee Education Foundation and the Manatee County School District," said Dr. Roger Dearing, Superintendent of the Manatee County School District. "Their generosity has enhanced professional development opportunities for our teachers and positively impacted the classroom experience for many of our students."
The Science Institute for Teaching Experience
At the Science Institute, through innovative, hands-on techniques, teachers learned about:
- the Earth & universe,
- physics,
- the solar system,
- microbiology, and
- DNA.
Teachers left the Institute armed with a better understanding of the subject matter and new ideas for lesson plans, ready to share what they had learned with the nearly 1,800 Manatee County students they teach. "This has reignited the fire and the love for science in me," said Michelle Esterling, a participant of the Institute.
Lockheed Martin’s Continued Commitment to Manatee County Schools
On October 2, 2007, at the closing ceremony for the Science Institute for Teaching’s 2007 program held at the South Florida Museum, Lockheed Martin’s Director of Communication, Gail Rymer, presented the School Board and Manatee Education Foundation with a check for $100,000. This donation, like the one presented to the school board in 2006, will be used to support programs and learning in the fields of science, engineering, technology and math. "We are investing in our future by investing in our teachers and our youth," said Rymer. With funding from Lockheed Martin, Science Fair participation has grown tremendously in Manatee County Schools.
- A total of 23 students advanced to the state level competition.
- Two students went on to the national competition held in Arizona.
Funding from Lockheed Martin has also brought the national Space Day Program to Kinnan Elementary School and Abel Elementary School, where in the past two years, more than 1,000 Kinnan and Abel students each year have learned about science, engineering and technology through hands-on activities, demonstrations, and guest speakers.