Winning state award is a 'bonus' for science teachers
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| Winners of the Walter-Horn Partnering for Progress Award are Worthington Kilbourne High School science teachers (from left): row one-Cindy Fushimi, Kelley Conley; row two-Jacob Bennett and Vince Trombetti. |
By PAMELA WILLIS
Four Worthington science teachers won a state award for the
way they teach.
Jacob Bennett, Kelley Conley, Cindy Fushimi and Vince Trombetti, all teachers at Worthington Kilbourne High School, were awarded the Walter-Horn Partnering for Progress Award by the Ohio Department of Education.
The award honors "individuals or teams of individuals who have made outstanding contributions in one or more of three areas, delivering standards-based instruction for all learners, including students with disabilities; building capacity for district or school instruction with academic and behavior improvement plans; or improving a district's or building's accountability efforts," stated information on the ODE Web site, ode.state.oh.us/.
Bennett, Conley, Fushimi and Trombetti won under the "delivering standards," category and were nominated by Intervention Specialist Susan Hrenko.
Fushimi has taught at Kilbourne for 16 years.
"It is very flattering to be honored," she said. "I think we all try to make an effort to help kids who need extra assistance to help them succeed, but we aren't the only ones."
"There are a lot of teachers in the department who really go out of their way to make sure all the kids have a chance to meet the standards set by the state."
Fushimi said her goal in the classroom is to help students of all abilities succeed.
"I have kids of many different abilities in my classroom, and I try to plan lessons so that they can help any kind of learner," she said.
"I try to do a lot of hands-on types of things and use visual aids. What works well is to have the kids up and moving. Even it is something very conceptual, if you try to incorporate something for different learning styles, it benefits all the kids."
Bennett has taught at Kilbourne for the past five years.
"I was very proud to receive the award," he said. "We do the work for the kids and don't do it for attention, but it is nice to get the recognition."
Bennett said he tries to help students see how the things they learn in class can relate to their lives.
"I try to make lessons meaningful to students and try to show them connections to what they are learning and how it might be useful some day in their own lives," he said.
"We do a lot of project type of assignments so that the outcome can be flexible. Students can take the assignment in a direction they think is applicable to the subject."
Trombetti began teaching at Kilbourne in 1991, when the school opened.
"When you get an award like this it is very humbling because I don't think of special things to do, I just do what I do," he said. "For someone to say what you do is really good is very nice to hear."
Trombetti's goal as a teacher is to "turn students onto learning."
"For some teenagers, learning is the last thing on their minds," he said, "but we have the reality of the Ohio Graduation Test, which they will take as sophomores. If I can get them excited about learning, they will soak up the material."
"I also want them to be lifelong learners, which has become a catch phrase that is perhaps used too much," Trombetti said, "but so much information is being produced with the Internet and other sources these days, and you want kids to think on their own. If you can accomplish that, then you've really done something."
Conley said she was "really surprised" to win the award.
"I felt really honored to know someone had taken the time, another teacher in our building, to acknowledge what we are trying to do to help students," she said. "It was really special to me and meant a lot."
Conley has taught at Worthington Kilbourne for 12 years.
"My goal as a teacher is to help all of my students realize their potential and build critical thinking skills, which are useful not only in science, but history, English, math and many other subjects," she said.
"I want to help them apply what they are learning in class to the real world and everyday life."
State Superintendent Suzan Zelman said the teachers should be commended for their efforts.
"We celebrate those who have improved results for all students, including students with disabilities, by differentiating instruction and providing support to meet individual needs," she said.
"As a result of their efforts, more students are improving their academic achievement and preparing for success."
Jacob Bennett, Kelley Conley, Cindy Fushimi and Vince Trombetti, all teachers at Worthington Kilbourne High School, were awarded the Walter-Horn Partnering for Progress Award by the Ohio Department of Education.
The award honors "individuals or teams of individuals who have made outstanding contributions in one or more of three areas, delivering standards-based instruction for all learners, including students with disabilities; building capacity for district or school instruction with academic and behavior improvement plans; or improving a district's or building's accountability efforts," stated information on the ODE Web site, ode.state.oh.us/.
Bennett, Conley, Fushimi and Trombetti won under the "delivering standards," category and were nominated by Intervention Specialist Susan Hrenko.
Fushimi has taught at Kilbourne for 16 years.
"It is very flattering to be honored," she said. "I think we all try to make an effort to help kids who need extra assistance to help them succeed, but we aren't the only ones."
"There are a lot of teachers in the department who really go out of their way to make sure all the kids have a chance to meet the standards set by the state."
Fushimi said her goal in the classroom is to help students of all abilities succeed.
"I have kids of many different abilities in my classroom, and I try to plan lessons so that they can help any kind of learner," she said.
"I try to do a lot of hands-on types of things and use visual aids. What works well is to have the kids up and moving. Even it is something very conceptual, if you try to incorporate something for different learning styles, it benefits all the kids."
Bennett has taught at Kilbourne for the past five years.
"I was very proud to receive the award," he said. "We do the work for the kids and don't do it for attention, but it is nice to get the recognition."
Bennett said he tries to help students see how the things they learn in class can relate to their lives.
"I try to make lessons meaningful to students and try to show them connections to what they are learning and how it might be useful some day in their own lives," he said.
"We do a lot of project type of assignments so that the outcome can be flexible. Students can take the assignment in a direction they think is applicable to the subject."
Trombetti began teaching at Kilbourne in 1991, when the school opened.
"When you get an award like this it is very humbling because I don't think of special things to do, I just do what I do," he said. "For someone to say what you do is really good is very nice to hear."
Trombetti's goal as a teacher is to "turn students onto learning."
"For some teenagers, learning is the last thing on their minds," he said, "but we have the reality of the Ohio Graduation Test, which they will take as sophomores. If I can get them excited about learning, they will soak up the material."
"I also want them to be lifelong learners, which has become a catch phrase that is perhaps used too much," Trombetti said, "but so much information is being produced with the Internet and other sources these days, and you want kids to think on their own. If you can accomplish that, then you've really done something."
Conley said she was "really surprised" to win the award.
"I felt really honored to know someone had taken the time, another teacher in our building, to acknowledge what we are trying to do to help students," she said. "It was really special to me and meant a lot."
Conley has taught at Worthington Kilbourne for 12 years.
"My goal as a teacher is to help all of my students realize their potential and build critical thinking skills, which are useful not only in science, but history, English, math and many other subjects," she said.
"I want to help them apply what they are learning in class to the real world and everyday life."
State Superintendent Suzan Zelman said the teachers should be commended for their efforts.
"We celebrate those who have improved results for all students, including students with disabilities, by differentiating instruction and providing support to meet individual needs," she said.
"As a result of their efforts, more students are improving their academic achievement and preparing for success."
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