Given this wonderful opportunity, I am honored to connect with others who truly believe in the art of providing a good and fair science education and to share in the voice of how we are accomplishing that goal. Many extraordinary teachers have inspired me to become a better educator, and I hope that through the Presidential Award, I might also be able to help pass along more enthusiasm for teaching, learning, and growing. Congratulations to all who have been nominated for this award!

Cheryl Silcox White Mountain, AK | K-6, Science, 2008

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

Cheryl Silcox teaches at the Winterberry Charter Waldorf School in the Anchorage School District. At the time of the award, she taught first and second grade at White Mountain Elementary School in the Bering Strait School District, after having taught for 16 years in remote Alaska. She joined the Bering Strait district in 1993 and came to White Mountain Elementary School in 1998. Known as a teacher who makes science happen for her students, Mrs. Silcox employs various ways of communicating science concepts and processes. She excels in empowering students to shape what and how they learn. As a Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment teacher, she guides students in collecting weather data and submitting the data to a Web site for worldwide use by scientists and students. Always seeking ways to reach her Native students, she led a project in which students made a three-dimensional topographic map of the region and invited Native Elders to relate it to environmental and climate changes. Based on her work in a rural setting with a diverse population, she is recognized for exceptional skill in meeting students' individual needs. A science education advocate, Mrs. Silcox has participated in developing high-quality instructional standards. Her contributions include both primary standards and those appropriate for Native students in rural Alaska. A former winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching lauded Mrs. Silcox's work in integrating district curricula and State standards. She has presented at professional meetings and training events and authored a teacher's manual on documenting indigenous knowledge. A colleague noted Mrs. Silcox's commitment to professional development and said that she contributes to other teachers' development as well. She has received minigrants from the Alaska Humanities Forum and the Alaska State Literacy Association. Mrs. Silcox is a board member of the Alaska Science Teachers Association, is the National Science Teachers Association Key Leader for Building a Presence for Science, and has served on state science standards committees. She has presented at the American Educational Research Association, American Anthropological Association, National American Association for Environmental Education, and Society for the Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. She is also a featured educator for the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory. Mrs. Silcox has an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and has taken coursework beyond her master's degree. She is certified in elementary education.

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