Toyota Awards $550,000 in Grants to K-12 Science Teachers
DALLAS, April 1 -- Toyota TAPESTRY, the largest science teacher grant program in the nation, awarded nearly $550,000 in grants to 50 K-12 U.S. teachers. Fifty received up to $10,000 each and 27 received mini-grants of up to $2,500 each. Large grant winners received their awards on March 31 at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) National Convention in Dallas, where Toyota celebrated the 15th anniversary of TAPESTRY. More than $6.5 million has been awarded to 750 teams of teachers throughout the program's history.
"Toyota has made a significant commitment to science education through the TAPESTRY program," said Gerry Wheeler, NSTA executive director. "Our successful collaboration has rewarded thousands of outstanding educators who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and vision in science teaching. We thank them for their partnership and their unwavering commitment to science teachers and to science education."
Toyota awards grants to deserving kindergarten through twelfth-grade teachers each year. Judges select projects that demonstrate creativity, involve risk-taking, and possess a visionary quality in three critical areas: environmental and physical science, and science applications that promote literacy. This year's projects range from evaluating emissions data from alternative fuel sources to investigating the effect of septic tank leakage on the local water supply.
"TAPESTRY recognizes teachers who are utilizing new and creative ways to present science to our youth," said Michael Rouse, Toyota's corporate manager of philanthropy and community affairs. "Toyota is pleased to sponsor a program that promotes excellence and innovation in the classroom."
Toyota TAPESTRY is open to elementary, middle, and high school science teachers in the United States and its territories, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Teachers can apply individually or in teams and applications are due in January.
For more information about Toyota TAPESTRY grants, visit www.nsta.org/programs/tapestry or call 1-800-807-9852.
About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,422 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers in 49 states. Established in 1957, TMS and its subsidiaries also are involved in distribution logistics, motorsports and general aviation. The company's main Web site is http://www.toyota.com/.
About National Science Teachers Association
NSTA is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership includes more than 55,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in science education.
2005 Toyota TAPESTRY Awardees Jacqueline Lampley Clay Elementary School Clay, Alabama Pat Smith Vernon Elementary School Vernon, Alabama Melinda Storey Mountain Brook Elementary School Birmingham, Alabama Dwight Homstad Butte Elementary Palmer, Alaska Allan Miller Sterling Elementary School Sterling, Alaska Karla Miller Hooper Bay School Hooper Bay, Alaska Sheryl Sotelo Soldotna Montessori Charter School Soldotna, Alaska Jody Vines Yocum Elementary Math & Science Academy El Dorado, Arkansas Robert M. Gannon St. Elizabeth High School Oakland, California Greg Gardiner Edison High School Huntington Beach, California Ratchford Higgins Luther Burbank High School Sacramento, California Peter M. Menth Mountain Shadows Middle School Rohnert Park, California Mary Simun Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, California Susan Littrell Rock Crusher Elementary School Homosassa, Florida Elizabeth W. Moller Cypress Bay High School Weston, Florida Devin Sexton Prevost Lynn Haven Elementary School Lynn Haven, Florida Susan R. Shepard Jupiter Community High School Jupiter, Florida Ian Turoff Navarre High School Navarre, Florida Frieda T. Aiken Jackson Elementary School Jackson, Georgia Wynn Mott Woody Gap School Suches, Georgia Sherri Garcia Seabury Hall Makawao, Hawaii Kathy Graham Sawtooth Elementary School Twin Falls, Idaho Tom Henderson Glenbrook South High School Glenview, Illinois Conor Klaus Sabin Magnet School Chicago, Illinois Kathleen Roper Hoyleton Consolidated School District #29 Hoyleton, Illinois Gary Swick Dundee-Crown High School Carpentersville, Illinois Lindsey Prentice Evansville Lutheran School Evansville, Indiana Cheryl Shepherd-Adams Hays High School Hays, Kansas Rosemary Orr Winburn Middle School Lexington, Kentucky Glenn E. Zwanzig, Jr. DuPont Manual High School Louisville, Kentucky Mary Fuglaar Riverbend Elementary School West Monroe, Louisiana Susan C. Yerino Woodvale Elementary School Lafayette, Louisiana Beth Dietz Madison Park Technical Vocational High School Roxbury, Massachusetts Natalie Munn Martha's Vineyard Regional High School Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts Stephen Stroud Pine Cobble School Williamstown, Massachusetts Susan Dougherty-Fitzpatrick Frostick Elementary School Croswell, Michigan Robyne Fritz Dakota Area Community School Dakota, Minnesota Randy Reed Pass Christian Middle School Pass Christian, Mississippi John Graves Monforton School Bozeman, Montana Louis L. Broad Timberlane Regional High School Plaistow, New Hampshire Karen Harrison Bordentown Regional High School Bordentown, New Jersey Margaret A. Holzer Chatham High School Chatham, New Jersey Diane E. Neal Woodrow Wilson School New Brunswick, New Jersey Carol N. Burch Hannibal Central School Hannibal, New York Cindy Futter Honeoye Central School Honeoye, New York Ana Maria Mercado PS 142 The Amalia Castro School New York, New York Susan Sharp J.C. Birdlebough High School Phoenix, New York Anne J. Tan Capital Region Career & Technical School Albany, New York Karen A. Vitek Nassau-Spackenkill School Poughkeepsie, New York Kathy K. Lineberger Marvin M. Ward Elementary School Winston-Salem, North Carolina Jennie McGuire Ronda-Clingman Elementary School Ronda, North Carolina Meg Millard Frank Porter Graham Elementary School Chapel Hill, North Carolina Patrick Boehmer Carrington High School Carrington, North Dakota Mindy Bedrossian Strongsville High School Strongsville, Ohio Sue Ayn Moore Clinton Middle School Clinton, Oklahoma Rosemary Donnelly Open Meadow Alternative School Portland, Oregon Adam Kirsch Crescent Valley High School Corvallis, Oregon Jason T. Buto McDowell High School Erie, Pennsylvania Barbara Wesneski Dallas Elementary School Dallas, Pennsylvania Cynthia Cykert Rogers High School Newport, Rhode Island Belinda Hardin Willow Lane School Columbia, South Carolina Tonya A. Jackson Blaney Elementary School Elgin, South Carolina Kim Lorimer Johnston Elementary School Johnston, South Carolina Deepali Boramanikar KPM Institute-Sri Atmananda Memorial School Austin, Texas Laura Davis The Branch School Houston, Texas Gary W. Piercey Christian School of Kingwood Kingwood, Texas Ginger Simons Crosby Elementary School El Paso, Texas Sally Ogilvie Syracuse Elementary School Syracuse, Utah Sherrie Lee Quilter Farmington Bay Youth Correctional Facility Farmington, Utah Carole G. Anderson Walker Upper Elementary School Charlottesville, Virginia Mary Margaret Callahan Seattle Girls' School Seattle, Washington Carla Houchin Davis Elementary School College Place, Washington Harlan Kredit Lynden Christian School Lynden, Washington Laurie G. Matthews Eastside Catholic High School Bellevue, Washington Nancy V. Moore Spencer Middle School Spencer, West Virginia Lars Charles Long DeLong Middle School Eau Claire, Wisconsin Joel M. Kuper Greybull High School Greybull, Wyoming (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030501/TOYLOGO)Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030501/TOYLOGO
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NOTE TO EDITORS: A list of the grant recipients is attached.