Heather McArdle, an award-winning geosciences teacher at Mahopac High School in Mahopac, N.Y., has been named 2014 AAPG Foundation Earth Science Teacher of the Year.
McArdle, from Ossining, N.Y., is author of three published geoscience lab manuals, creator of “Living the Earth Sciences” Web page and has taught high school and college-age students in fields of geoscience for more than 17 years.
The honor comes with a $6,000 prize, funded annually from the AAPG Foundation, to be split between McArdle and Mahopac High School. She also will receive an expense-paid trip to the AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition in Houston April 6-9, where she will be presented with her award at the All-Convention Luncheon.
A feature interview with McArdle will be published in the April convention issue of the AAPG EXPLORER.
A colleague at her school praised her teaching methods, saying her students “are taken into the field, taught to research and read primary resources and to write in the scientific style – and they are introduced to real world examples of careers in the geosciences.”
McArdle has a bachelor of science dual degree in geology and secondary science education from SUNY Oneonta, and a master’s degree with an emphasis in secondary science education from Syracuse University.
Five other geoscience teachers received honorable mentions from the Foundation as having won teacher of the year awards from their respective Sections. They are:
- Sabrina Ewald, McKinney, Texas.
- Madelyn Percy, Austin, Texas.
- Chung Khong, San Jose, Calif..
- Debra Stiles, Helena, Mont.
- Alexandra Holter, Tulsa.
One of the AAPG Foundation’s primary goals is to provide funding for educational, charitable and scientific objectives that benefit the geologic profession and the general public.
The Teacher of the Year initiative began in 1996 and has since honored 17 outstanding earth science teachers.