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ExploraVision Ambassador Program
The ExploraVision Ambassador program honors exemplary ExploraVision coaches, provides them with professional development opportunities and leverages their first-hand experiences with coaching successful teams to inspire and inform a network of peers about the benefits of ExploraVision.
Featuring a series of best-practice Web Seminars, the ExploraVision Ambassador program offers enriching peer networking opportunities, as well as tools for teachers to use to help their students as they create and submit their science projects.
Web Seminars
Series 1: What is ExploraVision and How Can I Use It?
Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Register today!
Series 2: How Can I Win ExploraVision?
Date: Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Register today!
Series 3: Online Resources
Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Register today!
Series 4: How to Avoid Disqualification in ExploraVision
Date: Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Register today!
Meet the Ambassadors
Congratulations to the 2009 ExploraVision Ambassadors!
Ambassadors are listed in alphabetical order.
Nancy Carter
Mediapolis Community Schools, Mediapolis, IA
Nancy (second from right)
"I have been coordinating the program for gifted and talented students at Mediapolis Community Schools in Mediapolis, Iowa since 1993. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education in biology and chemistry and am endorsed to teach gifted and talented students in grades K – 12. My students have participated in ExploraVision for a number of years and the experience has been quite rewarding."
Diana Celle
Diana (left) with her 2005 team
Holmes Elementary School, San Diego, CA
"I teach third grade at Holmes Elementary School in San Diego, California. ExploraVision has challenged many of my students over the years. I was fortunate to coach four national winning teams. All of my young ExploraVision participants enjoyed the fun learning process as they came up with their futuristic inventions. I've seen many changes in the contest over the years, but one thing remains the same: ExploraVision challenges students to be scientific and innovative team players."
Mary Harris
Mary (right) with her 2007 winning team
John Burroughs School, St Louis, MO
"I teach physical science at the middle-school level and chemistry to high school students at John Burroughs School in St. Louis, Missouri. I am also a Polymer Ambassador, so I write and present activities/laboratories for any grade level to help teachers incorporate polymers into their existing curriculums. I won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2002 and I have published various journal articles — the most recent is in the Journal of Chemical Education, October 2008, entitled "Polymers in the Field and Track." I have had students compete in ExploraVision since 1997. I coach one or two teams each year, from the eighth or ninth grades, and our school has won seven national awards. I really enjoy coaching small groups of students, as we all learn interesting science topics together!"
Deborah Kennedy
Deborah (left) with her 2007 ExploraVision winning team
Wando High School, Mt. Pleasant, SC
"I teach mathematics and pre-engineering at Wando High School, a public high school in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. I began teaching 10 years ago after working as a structural engineer for several years. I am a national board-certified teacher in mathematics, a Project Lead the Way master teacher in Civil Engineering and Architecture and a registered professional engineer. Last year I was awarded the Barbara H. James Award for Outstanding Career and Technology Educator in South Carolina. Two years ago, while searching the Internet for a group project idea for my design class, I discovered the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards competition, a multi-disciplinary, research-based, open-ended problem-solving opportunity. Of the four groups I coached, three submitted entries. Two of the groups were awarded honorable mentions in our region. The third group eventually became the Grades 10 – 12 Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision national winners in 2007."
Diane Pollitt
Diane (left) with her 2006 winning team
Heatherstone Elementary School, Olathe, KS
"I've been teaching elementary school gifted and talented students for almost two decades, and currently teach in Olathe, Kansas. I've been involved with ExploraVision for 16 of the program's 17 years. Over the years I have coached regional winning teams in second, third, fifth and sixth grade. One fifth grade team won the ExploraVision national award in 2006 and numerous teams have earned honorable mention recognitions. I feel that through the use of a variety of hands-on, project-based learning experiences and a process of questioning, exploration and discovery, students acquire learning skills they'll use their entire lives."