Christy Wilbur at Northeastern High School was the only local teacher in Clark County to receive this award, in which she said was an honor to receive. Northeastern also previously won this award in 2020-21 and 2017-18 school year.
“The (award) encompasses the hard work of my ninth grade students and the combined effort of all the staff facilitating students’ efforts in their science fair projects,” she said.
“It is an honor to be recognized with this award, but one that I cannot take all the credit for. I’m proud to work at Northeastern High School, where I am able to have my students explore science for themselves and host the Ohio Academy of Science’s Local Science Day for Clark County. The science fair is built into the curriculum of my biology classes, and with the support of the district, our students have demonstrated that they are capable scientists with promising futures,” she added.
Northeastern had many successes as a science department during this past school year, Wilbur said. The district had 70 students compete in the local science day, which was held virtually for the first time; 17 students competed at the virtual science day, where two were awarded a superior rating and advanced to the state science day where those two students were also awarded an excellent rating; and six students applied to exhibit their science fair projects at the Ohio FFA’s State Agriscience Fair in conjunction with the district’s FFA program.
Each school will receive a special Governor’s Award certificate, and each teacher will receive a complementary membership to The Ohio Academy of Science.
The award, funded by the Technology Division of the Ohio Development Services Agency, recognizes state schools and teachers who stimulate scientific student research and technological design and extend experiential opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities.
“These schools and teachers are connecting classrooms to the real world by demonstrating the relevance of STEM... They are developing a group of active and intrinsic learners,” said Michael Woytek, the Academy’s Executive Director.
The criteria for the award is to conduct a local science fair with 12 or more students and have two or more of those students participate in the 2022 Virtual District Science Day or have six or more participate in science day when no local has been conducted; and students must participate in at least one more youth science opportunity beyond the classroom.
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