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Show Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, November 12-15,2005 The Park Record B-10 Maureen Amendola: Science Educator of the Year PCHS veteran wins award from Museum of Natural History By JARED WHITLEY Of the Record staff With help from the Jazz Bear, the Utah Museum of Natural History honored Maureen Amendola with this year's Science Educator of the Year Award. "1 was completely surprised," said Amendola, an 11-year Park City High School veteran. "I had no idea they were going to do this, especially on this level...I'm very honored and I'm very flattered." On Thursday, museum staff surprised Amendola with an announcement she'd won on the school's Miner Morning Show. The award includes $1,000 and Jazz tickets. Amendola and the rest of the science department were treated to an elegant lunch in the cafeteria, complete with an accompanying violin player. Amendola modestly calls her award a "department effort," and describes herself as "one piece of a really cohesive group of strong (science) educators." "It's the strong players around me that help me meet the needs of the kids," Amendola said. Ephraim Dickson, the museum's education director, said the award focuses on teachers who work with individual students to improve physical science skills. "Students love her, she has a real impact," Dickson said. Teachers from all across Utah are nominated, so it's "very competitive," Dickson said. Only three teachers received the award this year. The other two are middle school science teachers in Logan and Vernal, said Patti Carpenter with the museum. Teaching, Amendola said, is the "only job Fve ever had that's not boring, that has small rewards every day." Amendola enjoys the "elegant and plans programs to "get them, to achieve," Smith continued. "She's just wonderful. She meets all levels of students." In Amendola's application, fellow science teacher Mary Purzycki wrote, "Student success is Maureen's mantra. She spends time before, during, and after school tutoring students so they won't walk away with a 'bad taste in their mouth' when it comes to. chemistry." Amendola has the unique ability to help students discover their learning styles to become "self-advocates for their education," Purzycki She spends time before, during, and WA°m e n d o i a's after school tutoring students so they goals as a teacher ^ ' are o mak'p nrn- won't walk away with a 'bad taste in their lescence a less . , , . , • , // painful time for as many children as possible and to - Mary Purzycki commit herself to the "average" On Amendola's teaching students so they ^ " " " " " ^ ^ ^ ^ emerge as more logic" of science. That can be a ethical, confident, self-actualized challenge to convey to teenagers people. sometimes, and Amendola says Amendola studied pre-pharthe way to do that is "bit by bit." macy at Pennsylvania State Teenagers "are so entertain- University, science education at ing. They're so malleable and the University of Wyoming, and they're so above board. What earned her master's in education you see is what you get," at the University of Utah. Amendola said. She has been norninated for Park City Education Principal Hal Smith said, "She the Doi I ney-Barnes is just an exceptional teacher. Foundation's She meets the needs of students Teaching Excellence Award five times and won it once. She has as she finds them." Amendola evaluates students won the Teaching Excellence mouth when it comes to chemistry. SCOTT SINE/PARK RECORD Park City High School Principal Hal Smith embraces Maureen Amendola after she receives the Science Educator of the Year Award from the Utah Museum of Natural History. Academic Recognition Award lor the last three years, and was nominated for the Radio Shack National Teacher Award in 2000. "If vou ask Maureen about these awards, she laughs them off, she is never "happy' with her 'leaching, which is why she is a great teacher." 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