FIVE Local Elementary School Educators Selected to Attend the Sally Ride Science Academy brought to you by ExxonMobil

260 Educators Selected from Across the Country to Attend 2012 Academy  

·        Academies showcase careers and diverse role models in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields

·        More than 5,400 educators trained to date, impacting more than 600,000 students by the end of the 2011-2012 school year

·        Program made possible by the first American woman in space, Dr. Sally Ride, and the support of ExxonMobil

SAN DIEGO, CA – The Sally Ride Science Academy brought to you by ExxonMobil announced that 5 elementary school educators from Mobile were selected to learn new, innovative strategies to raise students’ awareness of and interest in science subjects and careers.

Teachers from Mobile attending the Academy include:

• Libby Little- Central Office-Elementary Science Supervisor
• Karen Esbensen- Fourth Grade Teacher-Hollinger’s Island Elementary
• Karma Clarke-Fourth grade Teacher-Collins Rhodes Elementary
• Dale Blackburn- SpEd and Technology Teacher-Morningside Elementary
• Joe Gaston- Fourth Grade Teacher-Dawes Intermediate School

Established through a partnership between Sally Ride Science, which was founded by Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, and ExxonMobil, the Academy is dedicated to helping teachers raise students' interest in science. The program is based on research, which shows that introducing young students to diverse examples of science careers and scientists can ignite their interest and make the study of science more meaningful to them.

The face of the American workforce has changed dramatically in the past decade, and though STEM interest continues to increase in American classrooms, the U.S. Department of Education notes that 60 percent of all new jobs in the 21st century will require skills that are possessed by only 20 percent of the current workforce.

“A solid foundation in math and science is critical role in preparing today’s students for careers in our increasingly technological society,” said Dr. Ride. “By partnering with ExxonMobil, we’re equipping educators with the necessary tools to engage students in math and science and encourage them to pursue career paths in these subjects.”

The Sally Ride Science Academy utilizes a train-the-trainer model that prepares Academy graduates to train other teachers in their district during the 2012-2013 school year. Graduates and their trainees will receive sets of the Sally Ride Science Cool Career book series for use in their classrooms. Since the inaugural Academy in 2009, the Academy has trained more than 650 educators in 52 districts spanning 17 states and the District of Columbia. Those educators have since returned to their districts and trained more than 4,800 additional educators using Academy materials, impacting more than 600,000 students by the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

A recent evaluation by the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin found that at the end of the 2010-2011 year, students taught by Academy teachers were more likely to disagree with statements that portrayed negative stereotypes, such as “scientists usually work alone in labs” and “people who are good at science cannot be good at other things like sports or art.”

“We have a long history of supporting education programs to prepare today’s youth for the challenges of the future,” said Suzanne McCarron, general manager, public and government affairs, ExxonMobil. “The lessons educators bring back from the Academy to their home communities inspire students to consider exciting and diverse careers in math and science.”

The Sally Ride Science Academy is part of ExxonMobil’s investment in math and science education in the United States. The company supports numerous other initiatives that encourage students to take an active interest in careers in the math and science fields; support the professional development of highly qualified teachers and promote involvement of women and minorities students.

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About Sally Ride Science

Sally Ride Science™ is an innovative science education company dedicated to supporting girls’ and boys’ interests in science, technology, engineering, and math. The company, founded by Dr. Sally Ride, creates programs (including Sally Ride Science Academy for teachers) and materials (including STEM career books) that bring science to life for students, their parents, and their teachers.