2023 Grand Prize Winners

Elementary Level

Arianna Martinez Moody

Harvey Brown Elementary School
Houston, Texas
Houston Asset

Arianna Martinez Moody’s teaching philosophy is that students learn best through a hands-on technology-inclusive approach. Through this type of learning, students become engaged, have learning experiences that use their senses, and understand science skills. Her students see that they use science every day in relation to the real world.

The state of her current science lab facilities, equipment, and resources is not functional, and she finds it hard to teach the Next Generation Science Standards using the current lab. A lab upgrade would impact schoolwide teaching, providing resources to effectively deliver a science lesson to both general education and special populations. Some of these new resources would include science literature, STEM activities, materials, tools, and models for general elementary science.

If Moody’s disadvantaged students had access to such resources, they would continue to grow their learning and love for science; they would have access to hands-on activities they could manipulate and make learning concrete. Her school needs an effective program, reliable and engaging online resources, and adequate lab equipment, so students can do investigations, record data, apply skills, and learn through a hands-on approach that is inclusive of STEM.

Middle School Level

Jeffrey Gale

Fairmont Junior High School
Pasadena, Texas
Deer Park Asset

Jeffrey Gale believes that all students must have a stimulating science education environment. Students learn science best when conducting real-world investigations that they experience in their lives to make connections. A large population of his students includes English Language Learners with home languages from Spanish to Vietnamese.

Science experiments are designed to be hands-on so students can explore problems they will encounter every day. Gale’s students use hands-on activities to develop problems and experiment with issues that require critical thinking to develop a solution to the overall problem. Regardless of the student’s primary language, students can tie their current knowledge of the world and apply it.

The current lab equipment and resources at Fairmont Junior high have been used past their usable life span. Due to the development of technology the current equipment is not compatible with current devices. Hands-on manipulatives are needed for students to build their knowledge and critical-thinking skills. With the current capacity, the classroom science lab doesn’t have enough equipment for students to explore in groups, so the teacher is limited to demonstrations.

A lab equipment upgrade, will enable students to design, build, and conduct laboratory experiments. With these experiments, they will be better equipped to analyze data and build their critical-thinking skills.

High School Level

Cecelia Gillam

Hahnville High School
Boutte, Louisiana
Norco Asset

Cecelia Gillam’s science teaching philosophy empowers students to become critical thinkers both inside and outside of the classroom. She believes that students should seek answers to observations that they make on a daily basis through scientific inquiry.

Science is built on the art of questioning, so Gillam gives students the space and tools needed to conduct hands-on experiments to make meaningful connections based on scientific data. She believes students should have an understanding of how science must be backed through research-based methods using the claims, evidence, and reasoning model.

Gillam’s current lab facility needs a major upgrade and overhaul because most of the equipment is outdated and does not match the demands of the current science standards. Many times, she has to conduct demonstrations because she lacks equipment. A lab upgrade would give her the tools needed to continue with a project-based, hands-on approach while teaching. Students will increase their problem-solving skills. Students will also be future ready for post-secondary work at a four-year university, two-year university, or a career in the technical education field. For students to compete in this new scientific age, it is imperative that they have modern tools.