Oklahoma City Educator Wins Presidential Teaching Award

OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nelson W. Daniel, Jr., Ph.D. of Oklahoma City has been awarded the 2009 Presidential Scholar Program’s Teacher Recognition Award, which is bestowed annually by the U.S. Department of Education and the Commission on Presidential Scholars. Daniel receives the award for his work with Amy Tai, a former student at the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM). Daniel supervised Ms. Tai’s postgraduate-level research in computational genomics while a professor of chemistry at OSSM.

“Dr. Daniel is an outstanding educator who is dedicated to inspiring more students to seek careers in science”

Daniel, who holds a doctorate in chemistry, has extensive teaching experience and spent seven years as a professor at OSSM prior to joining Oklahoma City-based online learning provider Advanced Academics, Inc. earlier this year. At Advanced Academics, he serves as a subject matter expert and instructional designer for middle school and high school science courses.

“Dr. Daniel is an outstanding educator who is dedicated to inspiring more students to seek careers in science,” said Melissa Myers, director of curriculum development at Advanced Academics. “We congratulate him on receiving this prestigious national award and are proud to have him on the Advanced Academics team.”

Daniel will accept the award during Presidential Scholar National Recognition Week, June 20-24 in Washington, D.C. While there, Daniel is scheduled to visit the White House to meet with President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Other planned activities include sessions with senior Department of Education officials, members of the agency’s Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program, and representatives of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.

“I view teaching as an ongoing dialogue between teacher and student, where both the instructor and student learn from each other,” said Daniel.

The Presidential Scholars program was created in 1964 to honor outstanding academic achievement, personal character, leadership, and service. Each of the 141 Presidential Scholars selects the teacher who most challenged or inspired him or her, and these individuals are honored with the Teacher Recognition Award.

About Advanced Academics

Advanced Academics, a leader in the field of online learning, partners with schools and districts in more than 30 states across the country to offer a customizable online solution that uniquely serves each customer. Advanced Academics’ programs have proven to be extremely successful in providing flexible learning opportunities for students in grades 6 through 12 and increasing overall academic performance. Since 2000, Advanced Academics has offered comprehensive middle and high school courses, highly-qualified and state-certified teachers, and a web-based learning management system that enhances student learning. A subsidiary of DeVry Inc. (NYSE:DV), Advanced Academics is accredited by The Commission of International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) and meets the standards of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For more information, visit www.advancedacademics.com.