Lakes teacher honored as ING Unsung Hero

When Lakes Middle School teacher Ron Harrelson heard some of his colleagues talking a couple years ago about their fear of students losing interest in engineering because of the increased focus on standardized testing in schools, he took it to heart.

The longtime teacher started an engineering class for seventh- and eighth-graders that aims to keep students interested in scientific research and engineering by providing hands-on projects. Now in its second year, the “Bridging the Gap” class received a boost last week in the form of a $2,000 check, thanks to Harrelson’s innovative teaching and the global financial institute ING. He plans to buy computer software that allows students to build their own bridges, dams and other engineering feats.

“The class is going to be like a microcosm of a job shadow in the engineering field,” Harrelson said. Harrelson is one of 100 teachers nationwide recognized for their innovation as part of the ING Unsung Heroes awards program. Nearly 1,500 teachers applied. Harrelson was the only Idaho educator selected for the award and is now in the running for the top three prizes: $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000.

Through fun and interactive projects, Harrelson hopes the class will bridge the gap that so many teachers say the federal No Child Left Behind Act has created in classroom curriculum.

“The teachers are teaching to the test now instead of having some fun projects thrown in along the way,” he said. “I’ve been looking for a long time to fill that gap.

“Junior engineering incorporates computer literacy, scientific inquiry, project building and testing, and physical science investigation that intertwine fun, competition and exciting activities for students,” according to a news release from ING.

“ING is proud to honor educators like Ron Harrelson as they strive to make a difference in the lives of America’s schoolchildren,” Bill Jasien, senior vice president of education and retail market sales for ING, said in a news release.

For more details on the winning projects, visit http://www.ing-usa.com/ us/unsungheroes.

North Idaho College tours

Anyone interested in attending North Idaho College should attend a campus visitation program Friday. Called First Friday, the events gives potential students a chance to tour the campus, attend an advising workshop and ask questions of instructors.

The program begins at 10 a.m. in Todd Hall of the Molstead Library at NIC. Prospective students and parents can sign up by calling the NIC Admissions Office at 769-3311 or e-mailing admit@nic.edu.

‘Recycling poetry’ contest

Know of any budding poets in your household, neighborhood or town?

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality is sponsoring a statewide “recycling poetry contest” for students in grades K-12, according to a news release. But “recycling poetry” doesn’t mean simply regurgitating someone else’s poetry. It means writing a poem about recycling.

The winning entry will be published in the agency’s 2008-09 Guide to Recycling and Waste Management in Idaho. Six winners from different age groups will be published on the agency’s Web site and posted at environmental outreach events and other locations during 2008 and 2009.

Entries need to be focused on recycling, no longer than one side of an 8 1/2-by-11-inch piece of paper and include the student’s name and grade, teacher’s name, town and contact information for the school. Submissions must be postmarked by Nov. 1. Winners will be announced on Nov. 15, which is America Recycles Day.

Send poems to: Idaho DEQ, Amy Luft, Education Coordinator, 1410 N. Hilton, Boise, ID 83706.