Wisconsin Educators Receive Presidential Awards
Four
Wisconsin teachers have received prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence
in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
They are Vicki Banta, a mathematics teacher at Viroqua High School; Lori
Williams, a mathematics teacher at Stangel Elementary School in Manitowoc;
Linda Roberts, a science teacher at Armitage Academy in Kenosha; and Donald
Vincent, a science teacher at West High School in Madison.
They are among 216 teachers from throughout the nation who won the honor.
Each wins a $7,500 educational grant, a citation from the president, and
a trip to Washington, D.C., for a week of informational sessions, workshops,
and recognition events.
The Presidential Awards program was established in 1983 to improve the
image and status of math and science teaching.
A national panel of scientists and mathematicians selected the educators
based on evidence of their knowledge of curriculum, outstanding instruction
techniques and their professionalism and leadership.
Vicki Banta
Vicki is a high school math teacher with 30 years of experience who believes
that educators must invite success and be accessible to their students.
Former students have remarked on Vicki's ability to bring understanding
of the world's only universal language - math - to her students.
Lori Williams
Lori serves as an elementary resource teacher for her district. She is
well respected by her colleagues because of her knowledge and ability
to provide quality instruction to each of her students.
Linda Roberts
Linda teaches science at the kindergarten through 6th-grade levels. She
insists that science is a "verb," and strives to make her class
interactive and applicable to real-world situations.
Donald Vincent
Donald is an Earth science teacher who has served on the board of directors
for both the elementary and secondary science teachers' associations in
Wisconsin. He views his classroom as without walls and encourages his
students to bring articles about the Earth for discussion.
Posted March 22, 2002