ESF Alumni Participate in Teacher Development Day

07/01/2013

Several ESF alumni were among the teachers who participated in ESF in the High School's teacher development event.

Held at the College's Heiberg Forest in Tully June 9, the daylong training provided teachers with the skills needed to contribute to and involve their students in a long-term applied research and service project aimed at restoring native herbaceous communities in post-agricultural forests. The teachers also learned about synchronizing biology and chemistry projects, statistical data analysis for high school students and how to integrate a Citizen Scientist project in their high school courses. Teachers did field work along with laboratory analysis of soil samples at Heiberg Forest.

ESF alumni participating were Travis Hall (MPS, '07), Solvay High School; John Lawler ('83), Weedsport High School; Michelle Balzano ('93), Fowler High School, Syracuse; Barbara Barker ('89,) Our Lady of Mercy High School, Rochester; Pam Herrington ('97) and John Herrington ('94), East Syracuse-Minoa High School.

The training was coordinated by Dr. Richard Beal, assistant dean for educational outreach. Dr. Greg McGee, assistant professor in environmental and forest biology, and Dr. Neal Abrams, assistant professor in chemistry, were program facilitators and instructors.

The ESF in the High School program is a dual-enrollment program offered by ESF since 1999. Students in partner high schools experience college-level work and receive college credit. Qualified high school teachers receive adjunct faculty status at ESF. Students also explore diverse interests and career opportunities in STEM fields as well as management, policy, design and law.