A South African branch of Honeywell International, a diversified technology and manufacturing leader in automation and control solutions, has created a scholarship programme aimed at empowering teachers with innovative ways of bringing life to maths and science in a classroom setting.
Called Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy Scholarship, the initiative has been created in partnership with the US Space and Rocket Centre in Huntsville, Alabama.
Each year, the academy awards scholarships to deserving science and maths teachers, who will visit the US to take part in astronaut-style training and simulations and other related activities geared towards promoting “lifelong learning in a classroom setting”.
All lessons and activities undergone during the scholarship period meet the requirements and standards of the maths and science curriculum and are ready to use in a classroom situation.
The scholarship covers tuition for five days at the US Space Camp in Alabama, return-trip airfare, programme materials and a flight suit.
Debbie Rae of Honeywell Hometown Solutions South Africa said that, since 2004, the programme has attracted 1 100 teachers from 49 US states and 37 countries.
The training programme is divided into two beginners’ and one advance course. From 2008 to date, 10 South African teachers have been awarded the scholarship and this, according to Rae, is an enormous achievement.
Teachers who want to apply for the scholarship are required to submit a 500-word essay describing the tools and techniques they use to motivate learners to study science-related fields and pursue technology-based careers, Rae said.
“Over the past few years, we have noticed a considerable shortage of skills and resources in the engineering fields that we rely on. For this reason, inspiring students to study engineering and science and to pursue careers in technology makes a lot of sense for a company with nearly 25% of employees in technical jobs. We depend a lot on the best-trained, most talented engineers and scientists to design the innovations that meet our customers’ needs,” said Rae.
She said teachers interested in the scholarship programme should meet the following requirements:
- They must be practising educators teaching maths and science to learners from the ages of 10 to 14 and intend continuing to teach these subjects in 2010/11.
- They must be certified to teach in the state or private school systems.
Interested teachers should not be married to or family members of a Honeywell or US Space and Rocket Centre employee; and
They must not have previously attended Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy or a Space Camp educator programme.
Registration for the 2010 scholarship has closed, but applications for 2011 will open in September 2010. For more information regarding the registration process or requirements, email [email protected].