Education students at the University of Wyoming/Casper College (UW/CC) Center founded a Casper chapter of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). The new student organization, NSTA UW/CC, was recently recognized by NSTA, and accepted into the national organization.
Five student officers lead the group's activities: President Heather Reed, Vice President Shona Ross, Secretary Justin Maes, Treasurer Kristina Hunter, and public relations manager Janel Moore. Assistant professor of secondary education Jason Katzmann is the organization's faculty adviser.
President Reed was inspired to create an organization at the UW/CC Center when she traveled to an NSTA conference in San Francisco last March.
"Our region - Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming - was so sadly under-represented in general," Reed says. "I was the only pre-service teacher there from all three states, even though there was a student chapter in Laramie."
An important goal for the organization is to extend science into the community. The group plans to perform science for elementary students and their families at Sagewood Elementary School's Family Pizza Night. In addition, they plan to launch a program that will help train education students on technology in the classroom, an element of teaching that can often be a challenge to master.
"The trainings would be run by students for students, which is an effective approach to learning," adds Katzmann.
The next NSTA UW/CC meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 25, from 6-7 p.m. at a location to be determined. In the spirit of Halloween, the focus of the evening's science event will be two presentations: A look at bats by UW/CC Center's lecturer of zoology Zac Roehrs, and a talk on spiders. Call Katzmann at (307) 268-2583 for location information.
Any student enrolled at the UW/CC Center or Casper College is eligible to join the NSTA UW/CC, regardless of major. Members receive a free one-year membership to the NSTA with access to four online science journals, as well as registration discounts to conferences.
Reed added, "All we ask of members is an enjoyment of all things science."
