What They Did Last Summer
Arkansas Educators Share Hands-On Science Fun With Fellow Teachers

Arkansas Science Teachers Share Fun and Simple, Desk-Sized Science “Snacks” They Learned at the 2006 Summer Institute at the Exploratorium

Little Rock, AR (November 6, 2006) – A room filled with science teachers from across the state were engaged and having fun, all the while learning easy-to-build, inexpensive science “snacks” they can use in their own classrooms to engage their students with hands-on inquiry-based science. Those who were teaching them were recent students themselves — having recently attended the 4-week Summer Institute held at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Eight Arkansas science teachers presented their newfound knowledge at the Arkansas Conference on Teaching, held in Little Rock on November 2 and 3. These teachers were sent to the renowned, four-week Summer Institute by The Arkansas Discovery Network, funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. The Exploratorium prides itself on it’s simple exhibits that can be sized-down and rebuilt with products that can be purchased at Wal-Mart. The teachers who attended the Summer Institute not only are seeing an impact in their own classrooms, they are sharing their experiences with fellow teachers to broaden the impact even more.

The eight teachers selected for the Institute were James Arce, Cutter Morning Star High School in Hot Springs; Renay Autrey-Treat, West Fork Middle School in West Fork; Tami Davis, Rogers High School in Rogers; Allan Wade Geery, Norfork Elementary School in Norfork Schools; Gail Hayes, Bentonville High School in Bentonville; Lynn Kelsh, Pinkston Middle School in Mountain Home; Connie Tenberge, Huntsville Middle School in Huntsville; and Lisa Tice, St. Joseph Catholic School in Fayetteville.

“The Institute was invaluable,” said Lynn Kelsh, who has been teaching science to 6^th graders at Pinkston Middle School for 12 years, “The professors were constantly challenging me to think more, learn more, and express what I'd learned in other ways. This is an experience that is worth a summer's month away from home. It is an on-going experience that will permeate my teaching for the rest of my career.”

The participating teachers experienced a rich mix of hands-on activities to invigorate their classroom lessons. They have come back to Arkansas with new ways to make science more involving for students, using activities and materials that cost very little – certainly a boon to any school budget. In all, the teachers spent a total of 110 hours over the four weeks immersed in inquiry learning techniques.

A science teacher at Huntsville Middle School for 17 years, Connie Tenberge is looking forward to sharing what she has learned with her students and fellow teachers. “The Institute was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career as an educator. We learned so many new ideas for teaching hands-on science, while having fun ourselves. My students are going to love doing these activities and hopefully love science because of them. I can't wait to share these ideas with the other teachers at my school.”

Teacher outreach programs such as this are just one aspect of the Arkansas Discovery Network’s mission. The first program of its kind in the nation, the Arkansas Discovery Network will tour innovative teaching exhibits among seven local member museums, making a hands-on, interactive museum experience more accessible to all the state’s 498,000 school children and their families.

About the Arkansas Discovery Network
The Arkansas Discovery Network, funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, works to strengthen partner museums by sharing resources and expanding discovery learning opportunities throughout the state. Member museums include the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs, Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff, Texarkana Museum System in Texarkana, Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in Smackover, Arkansas State University Museum in Jonesboro and the University of Arkansas Center for Mathematics and Science Education in Fayetteville. Visit the website at www.arkansasdiscoverynetwork.org.

About the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation
The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, headquartered in Las Vegas, is a national philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. The Foundation is one of the 50 largest private foundations in the United States.

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Photos from ACT Program
(Higher Resolution Photos Available On Request)

Press Release in Word Format

Individual Press Releases for Each Teacher:

James Arce; Cutter Morning Star High School; Hot Springs

Renay Autrey-Treat; West Fork Middle School; West Fork Schools; Fayetteville

Tami Davis; Rogers High School; Rogers School District; Rogers

Allan Wade Geery; Norfolk Elementary School; Norfolk Schools; Norfolk

Gail Hayes; Bentonville High School; Bentonville

Lynn Kelsh; Pinkston Middle School; Mountain Home School District; Mountain Home

Connie Tenberge; Huntsville Middle School; Huntsville School District; Huntsville

Lisa Tice; St. Joseph Catholic School; Fayetteville

What They Did Last Summer Arkansas Educators Share Hands-On Science Fun With Fellow Teachers

What They Did Last Summer
Arkansas Educators Share Hands-On Science Fun With Fellow Teachers