GLOBE Teacher Nancy Parson believes that learning is a process of building or constructing a body of knowledge which leads to the understanding of concepts. As the winner of the Outstanding Earth Science Teacher of the Year in South Carolina, Ms. Parson finds that the GLOBE Program provides an opportunity to "change how a student uses science to solve problems."

Ms. Parson's students are particularly interested in studying the ecology of a local salt marsh, acquiring new skills as well as knowledge. Using the GLOBE hydrology protocols, the students regularly test for pH, salinity, and transparancy. They also study plants and animals that live in the ecosystem and follow the soil protocols to examine mud from the salt marsh.

In June 1998, Ms. Parson received the 1997 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Congratulations to Ms. Parson on this achievement.