DoDEA Pacific Public Affairs
Unit 35007
APO, AP 96376
DSN: 315-544-5657
From the States: 011-81-6117-55-5657
PublicAffairs@pac.dodea.edu
The DoDEA Pacific Public Affairs Office initiates and manages DoDEA's communications and outreach efforts for the Pacific to include Guam, Japan, Okinawa, South Korea. The office is responsible for media relations, internal information programs and communication with students, parents, teachers, school administrators and the public.
Christopher Hanson selected to the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Academy Fellowship Program for 2008-2009
For Immediate Release — November 14, 2008 | HQ
Charles Steitz: DoDDS Pacific, Communications Specialist | DSN: 644-5657
TORII STATION, OKINAWA, JAPAN — November 14, 2008 — Dr. Nancy Bresell, Director, DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam is please to recognize Christopher Hanson for his selection to the NSTA Fellowship Program for 2009. NSTA New Science Teacher Academy, co-founded by the Amgen Foundation, is a professional development initiative created to help promote quality science teaching, enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence, and improve teacher content knowledge. According to a 2003 survey, nearly 50% of beginning teachers leave their jobs in the first five years. The NSTA New Science Teacher Academy endeavors to use mentoring and other professional development resources to support science teachers during the often challenging, initial teaching years and to help them stay in the profession.
He is the first DoDDS Science teacher to participate in the programs history. Mr. Hanson is a DoDDS Korea District middle school science teacher at C.T. Joy Elementary School in Chinhae, South Korea.
In order to qualify, a teacher must be entering their second or third year of teaching, must have a schedule that is a minimum of 51 percent middle or high school science, and must be residents of one of the 50 states or four U.S. jurisdictions. Of the 800 applicants less than 180 fellows were selected.
NSTA is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning. NSTA 's current membership includes more than 58,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in science education.
Each fellow will receive financial support to attend and participate in NSTA's 2009 National Conference on Science Education in New Orleans, and participate in year-long professional development through the NSTA Academy.
Hanson retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1997, has been a DoDDS teacher for six years, and is married to U.S. Navy Commander Maria Marioni. "I am absolutely thrilled about my selection as an NSTA Academy Fellow. My goal as a science teacher is to provide my students with as much real world scientific opportunities as I can helping them get fired up about science," said Hanson.