The Presidential Award means a great honor and it gives me the opportunity to further my education to an M.S. degree. I have continued my education for years, taking graduate courses to refresh and keep myself updated for the classroom in the various science or mathematics fields, to a total of over 130 credits beyond my B.S. Now I can concentrate on getting a degree in a specific area. It would be a wonderful closure to teaching at the secondary level and an opening to a new education adventure.

Ila LaChapelle Walhalla, ND | 7-12, Science, 2011

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Ila LaChapelle has been an educator for 38 years and has spent the last 11 years teaching high school science and mathematics at North Border-Walhalla High School. She has also taught at Barnsville High School, Hope Public School, and Central Valley Public School. Ila's love for learning has kept her engaged in teaching. With the community's help, she encourages students to develop lifelong learning. Ila uses the National Science Foundation River Watch Program to involve students in their environment. They gather chemical and biological data from the river in seasons when the water is open, and determine the water content in snow during the winter. For 9 years, Ila developed summer science day camps for students in kindergarten through sixth grade to get students outside and having fun learning science. The Extended School Day Program during the school year is co-managed daily by Ila for this same age group. Ila has served as a member of the National Science Teachers Association, the National Education Association, and the North Dakota Education Association. Ila has a B.S. in science and mathematics education from Mayville State University. She is a certified middle and secondary school teacher in science and mathematics.

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