Rae Ann Vandrovec Jamestown, ND | K-6, Science, 2001

Rae Ann Vandrovec began her teaching career at St. Joseph's School in 1974 after earning a B.S., magna cum laude, in elementary education from Valley City State University. She continued her career at St. John's Academy in 1980, teaching multiple elementary grades from first through sixth. Rae Ann was recognized for innovative instruction and project-based learning. She initiated family literacy and science nights as well as Globe Research and the use of a portable planetarium. She coordinated a schoolwide “space” project using money received from a NASA grant she authored. Rae Ann was an early adopter of technology in the classroom in order to connect her classroom to the outside world, and began grant writing to provide additional learning resources for her students. Rae Ann was selected to attend NASA New at the John Glenn Research Center. She was chosen for the Fulbright Teachers' Award to Japan. She received the Presidential Award in 2001 while teaching at St. John's. The monetary stipend from the Presidential Award enabled Rae Ann to complete an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction at North Dakota State University. She worked as the Tech Curriculum/Staff Development Coordinator for the Jamestown School District from 2005 where she worked until her retirement in 2014. She instructed a staff of 300 in the use of technology integration in the classroom and authored multiple grants for technology equipment and learning resources. Rae Ann was involved in multiple professional organizations including the North Dakota Reading Association and the North Dakota Science Organization. She served as the president of the North Dakota Association of Technology Leaders (NDATL) in 2010 and was named their North Dakota Outstanding Technology Leader for 2013.

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