Angela Lewis continued a tradition of Cal State Long Beach students and alumni by winning the Future Science Teacher Award.
Lewis was recently recognized as the sole winner during an awards breakfast, making this the fourth consecutive year in which the award had a winner hail from CSULB.
The award is annually given out by the California Science Teachers Association to no more than two recipients. According to CSTA, the award is given to college students who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to science education and show promise to become outstanding science educators.
“It’s a pretty big thing to be recognized,” Lewis said. “It caught me off-guard; I didn’t think I did that much to stand out.”
Lewis is from Aliso Viejo, Calif., and graduated from CSULB in 2008 with a degree in biological science. She earned her teaching credential in January.
Stephanie Bauer, who taught Lewis, introduced Lewis to Laura Henriques, chair of the Science Education Department, to participate in the Young Scientists’ Camp.
“I got to figure out that I wanted to be a teacher,” Lewis said. “It offered a lot of hands-on experience instead of sitting in a classroom.”
Henriques took notice of Lewis’ work and had her participate the following year in the See Us Succeed program, a two-week camp mentoring kids who live at homeless shelters. Henriques nominated Lewis for the award because of her participation in the various camps and activities.
“Angela was eager to take advantage of opportunities to become a better teacher,” Henriques said. “She participated in professional development opportunities which were offered and was receptive to feedback.”
Lewis wound up at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, Calif., as part of an internship, where she worked on science education programs. Before the start of this school year, she became a biology teacher at Anaheim High School.
“It’s a really big learning experience because I’m a traveling teacher,” Lewis said. “I don’t have my own classroom. I teach in five different classes a day.”
In the past six years, CSULB has produced six winners of the award. CSULB produced two winners in 2007 — 2006 was the only year since 2005 that it failed to produce a winner. In addition to lectures, students are required to participate in activities to complete their education.
“(LBSU) gives you the theory behind things, but then they give you the activity to put it into practice,” Lewis said. “It’s all very hands-on, which, for a science teacher, is what you’re going to be doing in school.”
The Science Education Department nominates at least one student for the award each year and runs different programs to help prepare students for teaching careers.
“Compared to other campuses, our students seem to have greater opportunities for professional growth,” Henriques said. “The students we have nominated who have won have taken advantage of those opportunities. They are able to reflect on their experiences and intelligently talk about their educational goals.”
Lewis realized that being a teacher still provides plenty of learning experiences. One day, she hopes to have her own classroom to teach out of, rather than the ceramics classroom she currently occupies.
Lewis said, “I hope to be able to provide outside experiences for my students, where they feel like they have opportunities and choices.”
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