Knowles Science Teaching Foundation Announces 2016 Cohort of Teaching Fellows

MOORESTOWN, N.J., June 30, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation announced its selection of 34 early-career, high school mathematics and science teachers as members of its 2016 Cohort of KSTF Teaching Fellows. The 2016 Cohort includes seven with advanced degrees in their discipline, two AmeriCorp members, a Peace Corps volunteer, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, a National Parks Service Park Ranger, a news producer for the Fuji Television Network, and two Engineers Without Borders volunteers.

The Foundation provides support and professional development designed specifically for early-career, high school mathematics and science teachers through its signature program—the KSTF Teaching Fellows Program. With a focus on supporting teacher-led educational improvement in the classroom and beyond, KSTF Teaching Fellows gain access to a comprehensive suite of benefits for five years, including:

- summer stipends,
- funds for professional development,
- grants for teaching materials,
- mentoring and support from experienced teachers and teacher educators,
- support for teacher leadership activities, and
- membership in a community of more than 300 like-minded peers in 40 states.

"Our 2016 Cohort of Teaching Fellows possess the drive, commitment and talent to improve math and science education in their classrooms and beyond," stated Nicole Gillespie, KSTF Executive Director. "KSTF is committed to providing these beginning teachers with support, resources, and a professional community to help them develop into the kind of teacher that all students deserve."

"I am excited to be part of a community of dynamic educators who are dedicating themselves to improving STEM education in this country," said Jesse Braxton, 2016 KSTF Teaching Fellow. "I recognize that I have a great deal to learn in order to become the teacher that I want to be, and am honored to have the support of the KSTF Teaching Fellows Program to develop my ability to lead lessons that go beyond content coverage and provide students with opportunities to think deeply, make sense of the world around them, and act powerfully to pursue their goals in life."

To see the full list of 2016 KSTF Teaching Fellows and read their biographies, visit http://kstf.org/2016-fellows/.

Applications for 2017 KSTF Teaching Fellowships are due by 11:59 pm PST on November 27, 2016. Please visit www.kstf.org/fellowships to learn more about the Fellowship.

About KSTF   
                                                                                                                                               
The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF) was established by Janet H. and C. Harry Knowles in 1999 to increase the number of high quality high school science and mathematics teachers and ultimately, improve math and science education in the United States. The KSTF Teaching Fellows Program, the Foundation's signature program, awards five-year Fellowships to promising early-career, secondary science and mathematics teachers, and supports them in their efforts to improve education in their own classrooms and beyond. The KSTF community includes more than 300 Fellows who taught science, math and related subjects to nearly 30,000 high school students during the 2015–2016 academic year. For more information, visit www.kstf.org.