Staff Celebrations
Mercer Middle School teacher receives prestigious science award for teaching excellence
Robert Ettinger, a teacher at Mercer Middle School, was awarded the prestigious Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence April 15 at a surprise ceremony at the school.
Ettinger received an unrestricted $5,000 grant and the school received a restricted $5,000 grant that can be used for the expansion or enhancement of a school science program, science resources, or the professional development of the school’s science teachers.
Ettinger was chosen to receive the award because of his creative teaching methods and effectiveness in the classroom, according to Carol Pawlak of Amgen Washington.
“Mr. Ettinger has a passion for science and shares that passion with his students, not only to get them to learn science, but to love it as well,” Pawlak said. “Mr. Ettinger lives science and translates his teacher development and summer science adventures into exciting, relevant curriculum for his students. When Mr. Ettinger looks at his class, he doesn’t just see students, he sees scientists.”
Pawlak said Ettinger's methods are successful. The number of students at Mercer Middle School meeting or exceeding standard on the state science test have more than doubled from 31 percent in 2008 to 69 percent in 2010. Ettinger’s goal is to have 90 percent of the children pass the state science test.
Ettinger is among four recipients of the 2011 Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence in Washington state. The program was designed by biotechnology company Amgen to recognize teachers in the K-12 grade levels in public and private schools whose dedication to their student’s education has had a significant impact on the learning and interest of the future generation of scientists.
Since the program’s inception in 1992, Amgen has awarded more than $2.5 million dollars to educators who have made exceptional science-teaching contributions and who have had a measurable impact on the lives of their students.
Photo by Jeffrey Luke
Robert Ettinger, Mercer Middle School science teacher, far left, and Andhra Lutz, Mercer Middle School principal, far right, receive a $10,000 check from Amgen representative Carol Pawlak, middle.