The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce brought educators, business leaders and community members together May 8 to honor teachers who create remarkable academic programs in Carlsbad schools.
The chamber's annual Outstanding Educational Program Awards Dinner took place at the La Costa Resort & Spa. During the event, awards were given out in four categories. The winners are:
• Entrepreneurial Program, Poinsettia Elementary School's Yearbook Leadership Program, created by teacher Nicole Moersch.
This program was created to allow students to learn firsthand how a publishing company operates and to spark their entrepreneurial spirit when it comes to writing, photography and layout design. The students were challenged weekly by designing balanced layouts and implementing text, headlines and backgrounds created by the yearbook staff.
• Innovative Program, Buena Vista Elementary School's Web 2.0 Writing Project, pioneered by teacher Shane Little.
This program provides students with the opportunity to use the cutting-edge potential of the Web for their academic work. The project, which is not typical of the educational writing processes in place at most schools, allows students to use dedicated online learning modules, Weblogs and wikis for online publishing of digital schoolwork.
• Science Program, Magnolia Elementary School's Caring for Cavies, led by teachers Lisa Clark, Jai McClelland and Diana Sturiale.
This program incorporates many academic skills in the areas of science, math, writing and art. Students used Punnet squares to learn about dominate and recessive genes through the study of various coat patterns in the guinea pig offspring bred for this program. The children were excited to see science come alive when the babies produced matched the Punnet square predictions. The students created informational pamphlets on guinea pig care and wrote persuasive essays utilizing their knowledge of cavies. They created posters to advertise the sale of the guinea pigs. All of the proceeds collected are being donated to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
• The Arts, Carlsbad High School's A Musical Production, produced by theatre teacher/director Monica Hall.
This program brings students together to study music, drama, dance and technical theatre to produce a Broadway-style musical. The students work together to create the sets, props, costumes, lights and sound in a workforce environment. The final product is performed in front of more than 1,500 community members.
“The chamber knows that the business of success starts with our schools. This event illustrates the chamber's commitment to building a solid partnership between business and education,” said Ted Owen, president and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. “Considering the state's budget cuts and the nation's economic uncertainty, it is obvious that the programs we honored, and the educators who implement them, truly are remarkable.”
During the evening, winners and finalists were awarded funds of up to $500 to put toward the programs. The teacher of the year from each Carlsbad school and the overall teacher of the year from the Carlsbad Unified and Encinitas Union school districts also received special
recognition.
Also during the dinner, Peter Ronchetti, general manager of Legoland California, presented a $75,000 check to the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. Legoland gives the foundation $10 of every $15 ticket sold to Celebrate Carlsbad Day, which was May 2 at the theme park.
More than 325 people, including business leaders, educators, elected officials and community members, helped the chamber and its Partners in Education Foundation toast teachers by attending the dinner. The event included a reception featuring a display of each nominated program, a multimedia presentation of finalist programs and a gourmet dinner.
The Partners in Education Foundation is a private nonprofit fundraising organization that promotes and supports children in the Carlsbad area. Its primary purpose is to solicit and distribute funds for the benefit of public schools that serve the city of Carlsbad.
The program sponsors were CDS Printing, La Costa Resort and Spa, Legoland California, Life Technologies Corp., RAM Enterprises International, Sylvan Learning Center and Tri-City Medical Center. This year's Partners in Education sponsor was NRG West, Carlsbad Energy Center.
The chamber's annual Outstanding Educational Program Awards Dinner took place at the La Costa Resort & Spa. During the event, awards were given out in four categories. The winners are:
• Entrepreneurial Program, Poinsettia Elementary School's Yearbook Leadership Program, created by teacher Nicole Moersch.
This program was created to allow students to learn firsthand how a publishing company operates and to spark their entrepreneurial spirit when it comes to writing, photography and layout design. The students were challenged weekly by designing balanced layouts and implementing text, headlines and backgrounds created by the yearbook staff.
• Innovative Program, Buena Vista Elementary School's Web 2.0 Writing Project, pioneered by teacher Shane Little.
This program provides students with the opportunity to use the cutting-edge potential of the Web for their academic work. The project, which is not typical of the educational writing processes in place at most schools, allows students to use dedicated online learning modules, Weblogs and wikis for online publishing of digital schoolwork.
• Science Program, Magnolia Elementary School's Caring for Cavies, led by teachers Lisa Clark, Jai McClelland and Diana Sturiale.
This program incorporates many academic skills in the areas of science, math, writing and art. Students used Punnet squares to learn about dominate and recessive genes through the study of various coat patterns in the guinea pig offspring bred for this program. The children were excited to see science come alive when the babies produced matched the Punnet square predictions. The students created informational pamphlets on guinea pig care and wrote persuasive essays utilizing their knowledge of cavies. They created posters to advertise the sale of the guinea pigs. All of the proceeds collected are being donated to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
• The Arts, Carlsbad High School's A Musical Production, produced by theatre teacher/director Monica Hall.
This program brings students together to study music, drama, dance and technical theatre to produce a Broadway-style musical. The students work together to create the sets, props, costumes, lights and sound in a workforce environment. The final product is performed in front of more than 1,500 community members.
“The chamber knows that the business of success starts with our schools. This event illustrates the chamber's commitment to building a solid partnership between business and education,” said Ted Owen, president and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. “Considering the state's budget cuts and the nation's economic uncertainty, it is obvious that the programs we honored, and the educators who implement them, truly are remarkable.”
During the evening, winners and finalists were awarded funds of up to $500 to put toward the programs. The teacher of the year from each Carlsbad school and the overall teacher of the year from the Carlsbad Unified and Encinitas Union school districts also received special
recognition.
Also during the dinner, Peter Ronchetti, general manager of Legoland California, presented a $75,000 check to the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. Legoland gives the foundation $10 of every $15 ticket sold to Celebrate Carlsbad Day, which was May 2 at the theme park.
More than 325 people, including business leaders, educators, elected officials and community members, helped the chamber and its Partners in Education Foundation toast teachers by attending the dinner. The event included a reception featuring a display of each nominated program, a multimedia presentation of finalist programs and a gourmet dinner.
The Partners in Education Foundation is a private nonprofit fundraising organization that promotes and supports children in the Carlsbad area. Its primary purpose is to solicit and distribute funds for the benefit of public schools that serve the city of Carlsbad.
The program sponsors were CDS Printing, La Costa Resort and Spa, Legoland California, Life Technologies Corp., RAM Enterprises International, Sylvan Learning Center and Tri-City Medical Center. This year's Partners in Education sponsor was NRG West, Carlsbad Energy Center.