My teaching career was elevated by sharing my curriculum knowledge with fellow colleagues. I shared my resources with students and teachers throughout California by serving on various science education boards such as the Greater Los Angeles Teachers' Science Association and the CA Science Teachers Association and as a university adjunct professor. I have since retired from teaching and have now continued my quest for knowledge by traveling and meeting other people throughout the world.

Diana Takenaga Los Angeles, CA | K-6, Science, 1998

Diana Yayoi Takenaga-Taga is a retired teacher from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) having taught kindergarten to third grade students from 1979 to 2003. She received the Presidential Award in 1998 while teaching at the Winsor Hills Math/Science/Aerospace Magnet. After retiring, Diana briefly served as a science consultant for the Los Angeles Educational Partnership in working with Charter School teachers. During her tenure in the classroom, Diana was active in many science endeavors. She taught an entomology class at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, was a Board member of the California Science Teachers Association, was elected President of the Greater Los Angeles Teachers’ Science Association, and was the lead science teacher at the Windsor Hills Math/Science/Aerospace Magnet School. While finding teaching science to students rewarding, Diana also served her adult teaching community by leading science professional development to K-12 teachers. She became a science advisor for the LAUSD Lowman Math/Science/Tech Center and adjunct science education professor at the University of Southern California. She has presented over fifty science workshops to teachers. Diana earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Los Angeles and Master of Science Education degree at the University of Southern California. She was enrolled in the curriculum and instruction doctorate program at the University of Southern California before retiring from teaching.

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