Helen Douglass Receives Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence!
An unsuspecting Helen Douglass, Centennial Elementary MESA Teacher and Science Coach, was overwhelmed with surprise when Amgen representatives, Jessica Graziano, Diana Sherman-Palmer, and Ed Fitzgerald appeared at Centennial to present her with the prestigious Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence. Helen was one of four Colorado teachers selected from a pool of 60 candidates to receive the award. Helen's parents, Nadine and George Douglass, Centennial staff and students, School Board members, and District administrators were among the crowd that cheered as she accepted the award. Centennial Elementary is the first school in the country to be called "A Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) School.
Amgen encourages excellence in science education by recognizing and honoring extraordinary K-12 science teachers with the Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence. Since the program's 1992 inception, Amgen has awarded more than $2 million to educators who make outstanding contributions to science teaching and a measurable impact on students' lives.
Helen and other winners received an unrestricted cash award of $5,000, with the recipient's school receiving an additional $5,000 in the form of a restricted grant to be used for the expansion or enhancement of science programs, science resources, or professional development of science teachers. Helen will use part of her award to pay for her upcoming research expedition to Namibia.
St. Vrain MESA and the St. Vrain Valley School District would like to express their gratitude to Amgen for their constant support for our teachers and students. Amgen's generosity illustrates their company's commitment to improving people's lives through their medical products and philanthropic giving programs.
View the videos of Amgen presenting the Award for Science Teaching Excellence to Delen Douglass.
