For the second straight year, the Shell Science Teaching Award winner will receive a bit of recognition on the track and at the track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The award, now celebrating its 23rd year, recognizes one outstanding classroom science teacher (K-12) who has had a positive impact on his or her students, school, and community through exemplary classroom science teaching. This year’s recipient comes from a major motorsports mecca herself – Kristen Poindexter of Indianapolis, Indiana. Kristen is an educator and science coach at Spring Mill Elementary and was chosen this spring after a rigorous evaluation in early 2014. Teachers were asked to submit a paper describing their beliefs and practices in teaching science. Ten finalists were selected nationally from the paper submissions, and Kristen was one of the lucky finalists. Kristen was selected as this year’s recipient and informed in a surprise ceremony by the School Superintendent and Principal. In addition to a $10,000 cash prize, and all-expense paid trip to the National Science Teacher Association National Conference, Kristen will have her name displayed on the #22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion driven by Joey Logano at Sonoma Raceway on June 22nd. Even better, Kristen and her husband also received an all-expense paid trip to Sonoma for a VIP experience that race weekend where she will not only meet driver Joey Logano, but will sit atop his team pit box during the race. For more information about the Shell Science Teaching Award and the NSTA Teacher Awards program at www.nsta.org.(Shell PR), see an image of the tv panel (rear) scheme on the #22 Team Schemes page.(6-20-2014)
