More than 2 million students reached and inspired by 2,176 math & science teachers from 55 countries since 2004; Two Philippine teachers will attend the 2014 program;10 alumni representing each year to be guests-of-honor
MANILA, June 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 200 teachers from around the world, including two from the Philippines, are gearing up to take the trip of a lifetime to Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy (HESA) – the ‘game-changing’ experience celebrating its 10th anniversary of inspiring teachers who, in turn, inspire students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and careers.
Created in partnership with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC), Honeywell (NYSE:HON) developed the award-winning scholarship program to help middle school math and science teachers become more effective educators in STEM. During the past 10 years, Honeywell has awarded scholarships to 2,176 teachers from 55 countries, including four from the Philippines.
This year, Christine Lucia Lawian, a seasoned math teacher at Barrio Luz Elementary School in Cebu; and Meriam Jorge Lepasana, a senior math teacher at Fort Bonifacio High School in Makati, are among the 204 teachers from 27 countries chosen to attend one of two five-day programs offered over consecutive weeks from June 11-24 at the USSRC in Huntsville, Ala. Teachers will be given rigorous training focused on science and space exploration including astronaut-style exercises like high-performance jet simulation, scenario-based space mission, land and water survival training, and interactive flight dynamics programs.
Both Lawian and Lepasana are excited to join the program and said they look forward to “refreshing their teaching approaches that can then be taken back to improve the learning experiences with science and math among their students.”
Since 2004, educators have shared their experiences and knowledge to more than 2 million students, inspiring many to pursue STEM education and careers. From winning grants from local and federal governments, to entering students in international and NASA educational projects, to creating STEM-focused after school programs, the impact of the program is continuing beyond the classroom. To help mark the program’s decade-long run, 10 HESA alumni have been selected, one representing each year, to be the guests-of-honor at the graduation ceremony on June 23.
Jim Bujold, president of Honeywell Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines), encourages more teachers in the region to apply for this legacy program of Honeywell, which is “all about re-igniting passion in teachers.”
“The experience of discovering new ways of delivering lesson plans will stay with the teachers, who then will leverage it to inspire the next generation of engineers, programmers, mathematicians and astronauts in this country. It is truly not a one-time program,” he said.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, in the last 10 years, the demand for STEM related jobs grew three times faster than jobs in other fields. However, according to the U.S. Education Department, only 16 percent of high school seniors are considered proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career. Only half of those students who pursue STEM courses in college actually go on to careers in STEM fields.
“Honeywell is a world-class leader when it comes to educating teachers in STEM education and they’re proving it again,” noted Dr. Deborah Barnhart, CEO and executive director of USSRC. “These teachers, in turn, inspire tens of thousands of students around the world every year. We are pleased to partner with Honeywell in helping to build the next STEM generation.”
Hear what these HESA alumni had to say about the program:
"My experience at HESA was the pebble in the pond - the ripples are continuous and still growing. This summer a former student is interning at NASA. Due to my experience at HESA, my students have access to the world outside our town and their aspirations seem more accessible now!" Sarah Hardy Farnham, Maine, USA
"In more than 25 years of teaching, HESA has been the most fundamental and invigorating professional development of my career. The skills, knowledge and enthusiasm that I developed through HESA have undoubtedly had a positive effect on me, my students and teachers not just from my school, but also in schools around the region. As a result, I have received recognition at state and national levels." Ken Silburn, Australia
To attend Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy, candidates must complete a thorough application process. Qualified teachers are awarded scholarships, round-trip airfare, tuition, meals and accommodations sponsored by Honeywell and its employees.
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