Teacher picked for fellowship program in Tenn.
JACKSON TWP — Kelly Weston, a Seneca Valley Senior High School chemistry teacher, will be one of 40 and the only teacher from Pennsylvania this summer to take part in a fellowship program in Tennessee.
The program will give Weston the chance to interact and do research with some of the nation’s top scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Called the STAR fellowship program, the acronym stands for Siemens Teachers as Researches.
The fellowship is a joint program among the Siemens Foundation, Discovery Education and the Oak Ridge Associated University. It provides STEM teachers the opportunity to immerse themselves with top scientists and to give them experiences to take back to the classroom.
Weston, 37, has taught advanced placement chemistry in addition to organic chemistry and biochemistry. A teacher at Seneca Valley for nine years, Weston also has been instrumental in creating and heading the school’s science honors society.
Weston said she was shocked to be selected for the program. At first, she thought the application pool was low but soon learned she was chosen from more than 1,000 teachers.
“It’s been amazing,” she said. “I was shocked and never expected to be selected, especially when I heard how many applications there were.”
Weston will leave on her journey July 20 and will return Aug. 1. During her two weeks in Tennessee, she will work on research projects of “national interest” on topics such as atmospheric studies, energy consumption and nanotechnology.
The entire trip, along with transportation and meal costs, will be covered by the agencies sponsoring the event.
Weston said she’s looking forward to the experience, if only for the fact she can bring back valuable advice and knowledge to the classroom.
“My students do a lot of research in class, and I’ll get the chance to show them authentic research experiences and how that plays out in the real world,” she said. “Teaching AP chemistry, I’ll be looking at how I can apply that within my curriculum and how to choose labs that are more meaningful to them.”
The school board Monday night honored Weston, saying the recognition is another achievement for the school’s science department.
“I am not surprised by this, but I am most proud,” said Superintendent Tracy Vitale.
In addition to the two-week fellowship, Weston will receive a $300 grant to help buy supplies for her classroom.
