Steiner Named AAFCS 2003 National Teacher of the Year,
Uses Distance Learning to Reach High School Students
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA - June 30, 2003 - Elizabeth
Jane Steiner, CFCS of Southmont High School, Crawfordsville,
IN received the prestigious 2003-2004 American Association
of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) National Teacher
of the Year award at the 94th AAFCS Annual Convention & Exposition
in Washington, DC.
Through distance learning, Steiner’s successful education
program, “Career Exploration-Going the Distance,” not
only allows her students to interact with career professionals
around the country, but also allows students from other schools
to participate in the career classes. The career series includes
18 programs, which are offered annually on the Vision Athena
website (www.visionathena.org). “One
of the best outcomes of this distance learning series is
that it offers students the opportunity to interact with
the speaker,” says Steiner. Students learn first-hand
about the job skills, educational requirements, hours, experience,
and professional advice needed to succeed in different careers.
This is the third year Southmont High School has been offering
the career series online, and just this year, her Career
Exploration class became a requirement for graduation. Enrollment
in Career Exploration has risen steadily over the past 5
years, from 25 students in 98-99 to 270 students in 02-03.
In addition to distance learning, students use other technology
to research careers. For example, students use computers
to create a PowerPoint presentation about a career cluster,
which may include digital photos taken on a digital camera.
Students also conduct a search for scholarships and information
about colleges and universities on computers. Additionally,
they use the Web to research a company and obtain information
that may be helpful during a job interview.
Dawn Colavita, Senior Director of Support Services at the
Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration comments, “She
has opened doors for her students that give them options
for their futures that they never knew existed. And isn’t
this what teaching is all about?”
“Each year I am impressed with how family and consumer
sciences teachers have raised the bar for education,” says
Karen S. Tucker, CAE, Executive Director of AAFCS. “Although
there are thousands of FCS teachers who develop and implement
innovative and cutting-edge education programs nationwide,
only one exemplary program is chosen for this high honor
and Ms. Steiner can feel particularly proud to be our 2003
FCS National Teacher of the Year.”
The AAFCS National Teacher of the Year award is co-sponsored
by the publishers Glencoe/McGraw-Hill (website).
The award recognizes outstanding educational programs, methods,
techniques, and activities that give visibility to family
and consumer sciences elementary and secondary education.
Each participating state affiliate association selects its
Teacher of the Year and the winning state entries are submitted
to AAFCS for the national competition. Elizabeth Steiner,
CFCS is a member of the American Association of Family and
Consumer Sciences (AAFCS).
About AAFCS
The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences,
based in Alexandria, Virginia, is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3)
organization serving as the comprehensive, integrative source
of knowledge and the primary voice for individual, family,
and community well-being in the United States. AAFCS is the
only national organization uniting, educating and promoting
professionals in all family and consumer sciences, including:
consumer retailing; food and nutrition; individual, family
and community development; consumer and family education;
apparel and textiles; health and human development; and family
resource management. For more information, visit www.aafcs.org,
call 800-424-8080, or contact Gwynn Mason at gmason@aafcs.org.
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