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SVEC Keeper Of The Flame |
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During the 1990s, the content of K-12 mathematics and science courses came under attack by the education establishment. These new math, integrated math, discovery math, etc. courses sought to protect students from difficulties in learning traditional mathematical skills. But it failed to provide students with the proper mathematical skills.
Science education also suffered due to an anti science movement. This includes attacks on what scientists do, how they affect society and the scientific method of reaching objective truth. However, there are many teachers who still recognize that their job is to teach mathematics and science skills, and not to fall to the whims of educrats. These teachers display great integrity in defying the education establishment to ensure that their students actually learn mathematics and science. The SVEC Keeper of the Flame award recognizes and honors those heroes of middle and high school education who have distinguished themselves as Keepers of the Flame of knowledge by maintaining high standards of content in mathematics and science instruction in the face of significant resistance. This award is not intended just to recognize outstanding teaching ability. The award will consist of a plaque and a cash grant of $500 (five hundred dollars), both to be given directly to the winning teacher. The award funds are to be used by the teacher for educational purposes. Each year, up to two teachers will be recognized. |
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Nominations for Keeper Of The Flame:
Please download an application in PDF format
Please download an application in MS Word format
For questions, please contact Jack Jew, SVEC Keeper of the Flame Committee Chair, at jack.jew @ lmco.com
Recipients:
Ms. Pallavi Shah: Keeper Of The Flame Award Recipient for 2007

Mr. William Dunbar: Keeper Of The Flame Award Recipient for 2006

Ms. Juanita Ryan: Keeper Of The Flame Award Recipient for 2005

Ms. Debra R. Dimas: Keeper Of The Flame Award Recipient for 2004

Ms. Mary Fay-Zenk: Keeper Of The Flame Award Recipient for 2003

Ms. Marie Ciano: Founder of the Flame, Inspiration for Keeper Of The Flame Award

Marie Ciano has been teaching for over thirty years. Her assignments have included Physics, Advanced Placement (AP) Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Physical Science, Earth Science, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, General Mathematics, and Art. She has taught at every level from a 2nd and 3rd grade gifted and talented science program to junior college physical science. Teaching was her chosen profession. She has wanted to teach from the time she took her first science class in junior high school. In high school Marie was a member of Future Teachers of America, and went on to the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where she earned her bachelors and masters degrees.
To prepare herself for teaching she took a diverse and rigorous array of mathematics and science courses, including calculus, physics, chemistry and biology. When it came to education courses, she didnt have much patience with the ambiguous content, going so far as to convince her advisor to let her substitute a computer-programming course for an education requirement.
Maries goal has always been to pass on her knowledge to her students. She steadfastly refuses to veer from her core principle that only the highest standards of course content be permitted in her classroom. Marie was appalled when the current wave of anti-content curricula hit the California schools. Reacting to the difficulty that some students have in understanding math and science, the new reformers radically altered course content rather than the method of delivery. Substantive courses in Algebra, Geometry and Algebra II were replaced by the inappropriately named College Preparatory Mathematics, or CPM, courses, and a low-level survey program called Integrated Science took the place of rigorous courses in Physical Science and Biology. Here Marie drew the line, refusing to teach anti-content courses, instead substituting texts mandated by her school district with more traditional materials. When physics students displayed limited skills in science and mathematics, she realized that her personal classroom efforts were not enough. So Marie managed, with great difficulty, to be appointed as a member of the district curriculum committee.
While a member of the committee, she helped to orchestrate the demise of the defective CPM program at Antioch High School by preparing a comprehensive presentation showing that CPM was not just a difference in philosophy, but rather a significant alteration in content. As a result of Maries efforts, her school has abandoned the flawed CPM program, and Algebra and Geometry courses have been re-instituted. In a similar manner, she played a key role in ousting the watered-down Integrated Science program and restoring the more substantive Physical Science and Biology courses. She wrote the 9th grade science curriculum for Antioch School District and introduced AP Physics to her district. Perhaps Maries greatest accomplishment in the face of such adversity is maintaining an excitement for teaching and not losing sight of her lifelong goal of passing on knowledge.
Mr. Bruce Kawanami: Keeper Of The Flame Award Recipient for 2002

Mr. Bruce Kawanami is a teacher of Engineering Technology at Monta Vista High School, and a member of IEEE and ASM International. He is nominated by Mr. Mark Murphy, Director of the North County ROP in Sunnyvale.
Bruce Kawanamis professional goal as a teacher is to expose high school students to the engineering professions and to generate interest in Engineering as a career path. His course in engineering technology has UC accreditation as an elective science course. Instructional modules include aerospace, civil, semiconductor, manufacturing, digital electronics, robotics, and materials science. Students also develop a resume, participate in internet design competitions, and learn to deliver technical presentations.
In industry, Bruce served as a Reliability Engineering Supervisor and a Senior Product Manager for Altera Corporation, and was a product engineer for 5 years at Intel Corporation. Bruce is a member of the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Technology Alliance Steering Committee. He holds a BS degree in electrical and computer engineering from UC Santa Barbara, and has completed level 1 requirements for the Designated Subjects, Vocational Education Credential.
He is teaching because he wants to give back to the engineering field, by increasing interest and awareness of engineering among high school students. His methods focus, in part, on showing students how many math and science fundamentals are actually used in technology applications, as opposed to the dry subject that students usually have to suffer through. A rewarding comment from a student was: so thats what sine and cosine are for! from a student coming out of a water rocket project.
Bruce brings speakers from industry into the classroom, and consistently has his students prepare for participation in the Tech Challenge robotic competition. He has developed curricula for the public domain to help others achieve the same concepts and results.
Bruce is also a family man who contributes to his community through church, coaching, and scouting activities. The Silicon Valley Engineering Council is honored to make Bruce Kawanami our first recipient of the Keeper of the Flame award, in recognition of his standards, leadership, and commitment to excellence in secondary engineering and technology education.
Bruce maintains a web site at: http://www.mvhs.fuhsd.org/bruce_kawanami/index.html And you can access his Technology Modules at: http://engineering-ed.org/Civil/civil01.htm