Thomas Worthington High School and three of its science teachers recently received the Governor's Award for Excellence in Youth Science Opportunities for consistently encouraging students to participate and succeed in science fairs.

Sponsored by the Ohio Academy of Science and Gov. Ted Strickland, the statewide award recognized teachers Brian Geniusz, Jodi Bacon and Sara Quart.

The three teachers were commended by the Worthington school board at its Monday, Oct. 27 meeting.

Geniusz said the award also reflects student success.

"The Governor's Award is earned by science teachers who have worked with students who achieved high ratings in a variety of different science categories," he said. "Since we have held local science fairs and our students have gone on to the district and state science fairs and achieved superior ratings, the award recognizes not only the teachers but how well the students performed at the science fairs."

Geniusz said this year is not the first time the school has been recognized for the same award.

"It's a nice award for recognition of a lot of extra effort by teachers," he said. "Our whole department values the inquiry aspect that students learn when they participate in science fairs. They have to conduct research, gather data and make a meaningful presentation to a group of judges.

"We want students to see that science takes place not just in the classroom but out in the real world," he said.

Geniusz said teachers work with students to help them design science fair projects.

"The process actually starts in the first week or two of school, with students beginning to design their projects," he said. "We have a committee that reviews the student projects for ethics, safety and moral values, to make sure we're not experimenting on lab animals and killing things, because that's not what science is about."

Students who receive stellar scores at the school science fair in February go on to the district in spring, then to the state science fair in May, Geniusz said.

"We're very pleased with the student participation in the science fairs but we'd also like to see even more students involved and would love to get kids competing at the international level," he said. "We'd also love to see them take their research papers and enter them into different paper-writing contests."

Geniusz recently took on a new position as the district science and health curriculum leader, based at the board office.

"We're looking to expand the number of middle school students participating in the science fairs," he said.

This year's science fairs will be run by Quart, Bacon and a new teacher, Trudy Tuttle, Geniusz said.

Geniusz said the science department always is looking for more science fair judges who are "well-versed in their scientific fields."

Those interested in becoming science fair judges should call Quart at the high school at 614-883-2250.