I came to realize early in my career that I would not be successful as an educator if I were to remain isolated in my classroom. Becoming active in professional organizations – NEA, NSTA, and NABT – made me a better educator. The Presidential Award was an outgrowth of that professional engagement as well as a call to further action. Working as an advocate for the profession made me more aware of my own practice and incentivized my efforts to perfect my craft and work with others to do the same.

Bobby Melton Oklahoma City, OK | 7-12, Science, 1994

Bobby “Bob” Melton retired from Putnam City Schools in Oklahoma City in 2017 where he last served as the District Assessment Coordinator. He began his career as a biology teacher at Putnam City West High School in 1973 immediately upon his graduation from the University of Central Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in science education. From 1990 until 1993, he taught Human Anatomy and Physiology as a science teacher at Edmond Memorial High School in Edmond, Oklahoma and was the K-12 Science Curriculum Coordinator for Putnam City Schools from 1993 to 2013. Bob earned a master’s degree in science education from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1978. In his retirement he continues to serve as state director of the Oklahoma Science Olympiad, a program sponsored by the College of Math and Science at the University of Central Oklahoma where he is an adjunct instructor, teaching secondary science methods to pre-service teachers. He was named Putnam City Schools District Teacher of the Year in 1987 and received the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award from the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) in 1989. During his tenure at Edmond Memorial, he was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 1993. He served many years on the Board of the Oklahoma Science Teaching Association and was awarded the Jack Renner Distinguished Service Award from that group in 2019. He is currently on the Board of Governors of advocacy group Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education. Bob has a long-term relationship with NABT. A member for most of his working life, he has held office as the NABT Region VII Coordinator, Director-at-Large on the NABT Board, the Association’s Secretary-Treasurer, and served as NABT President in 2016.

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