ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is now accepting applications for the NSTA New Science Teacher Academy. The year-long program was established to help reduce the high attrition rate in the science teaching profession by providing professional learning and mentoring support to early-career science teachers. This year, support from Lockheed Martin will sponsor 30 fellows and Bayer USA Foundation will sponsor 4.
“Studies show that support for teachers in their early years of teaching is an important factor in teacher retention,” said Dr. David Evans, NSTA executive director. “Our goal for the teachers who participate in the NSTA New Science Teacher Academy is to empower them so that they can remain in the classroom with renewed energy and creative ideas that spur powerful student learning.”
“At Lockheed Martin, we understand that providing support for one teacher means that hundreds of students will benefit,” said Brad Fisher, Lockheed Martin’s director of Community Relations. “The teachers who are selected to participate in the New Science Teacher Academy are among the best and brightest and will drive innovative ideas into our nation’s science classrooms.”
Fellows selected for the program receive a comprehensive NSTA membership package, online mentoring with trained mentors who teach in the same discipline, and the opportunity to participate in a variety of web-based professional learning activities, including web seminars. In addition, each fellow receives financial support to attend the NSTA 2017 National Conference on Science Education in Los Angeles.
“At Bayer, our 20-plus year history of investing in quality science education and teacher professional development through our company-wide Making Science Make Sense® initiative comes from our belief that by supporting teachers, we are helping to ensure that today’s students are fully prepared to participate in the innovation economy,” said Sarah Toulouse, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Bayer Corporation, and Executive Director, Bayer USA Foundation. “It’s one of the key reasons we value the National Science Teachers Association and its New Science Teacher Academy.”
The program is open to science teachers in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, and Washington, DC, who will be entering their second through fifth year of teaching and whose schedule is a minimum of 51 percent middle or high school science. For more information about the NSTA New Science Teacher Academy or to learn how to apply, please visit the Academy website at www.nsta.org/academy. Applications must be submitted no later than Aug. 5, 2016.
About the New Science Teachers Academy
Launched during the spring of 2007, the NSTA New Science Teacher Academy was designed to help promote quality science teaching, enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence, and improve teacher content knowledge. Since its inception, the Academy has provided high-quality professional learning opportunities to 1,300 science teachers nationwide. According to an informal survey conducted of past New Science Teacher Academy Fellows, 95 percent of those who responded indicated that they are still in the teaching profession. Further, 87 percent of respondents cited their experience in the Academy as a main reason for them remaining in the teaching profession.
About NSTA
The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership includes approximately 55,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in science education.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
About Bayer, Bayer USA Foundation and Making Science Make Sense®
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2015, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of EUR 46.3 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.3 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.
The Bayer USA Foundation is an endowed 501(c)(3) entity with a programmatic focus on education and workforce development, and environment and sustainability. The Foundation supports organizations that enhance quality of life, connect diverse groups, ensure preparedness for tomorrow’s leaders, and improve communities in which Bayer employees live and work. The Bayer USA Foundation is one of three Bayer foundations worldwide, including the Bayer Science & Education Foundation and the Bayer Cares Foundation.
Making Science Make Sense® is Bayer’s award-winning, company-wide initiative that advances science literacy through hands-on, inquiry-based science education, employee volunteerism and public education. For more information, please visit MakingScienceMakeSense.com.
