MOORESTOWN, N.J., April 14, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF) today announced the availability of applications for 2015 Teaching Fellowships. Valued at approximately $150,000, the prestigious five-year Fellowships are awarded to early-career teachers who are committed to teaching science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (STEM) in high schools nationwide. The application deadline is 12 a.m. PST on October 29, 2014.
"The KSTF Teaching Fellowship Program offers access to a network of professionals dedicated to a common cause—improving math and science education," said Nicole Gillespie, KSTF's Executive Director. "The program has been refined and improved over the past decade, and is highly effective at retaining the most promising beginning teachers, supporting them to become leaders and change agents in the profession."
KSTF Teaching Fellowships are awarded annually to early-career STEM teachers who possess exceptional academic backgrounds and a desire to pursue teaching as a primary career. Fellowship applicants are evaluated with respect to the following selection criteria: their potential to develop the content knowledge needed for teaching, their potential to develop exemplary teaching practices and their potential to develop the qualities of a teacher leader. KSTF Fellows join a supportive and collaborative community of educators who are striving to become master teachers, while leading from the classroom. Fellows also receive other benefits, including stipends, funds for professional development, grants for teaching materials, and opportunities for mentoring and leadership.
"I don't think in 30 years I'd be the teacher I am today, without Knowles or the relationships I've made," commented Tracy Schloemer, a 2009 KSTF Teaching Fellow.
In 2002, KSTF selected its first cohort of Teaching Fellows. Since the inception of the KSTF Teaching Fellowship Program, the community has grown to include more than 250 Fellows in 42 states. From receiving National Board Certification to developing curriculum to holding leadership positions in professional organizations, KSTF Fellows are distinguished within the field of education.
KSTF recently selected 32 beginning teachers—including two former Peace Corps members, a certified scientific diver and a veteran of the United States Army—to join its 2014 cohort of Teaching Fellows. Information about the 2014 cohort will be released in the coming months.
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 Fellowship, the Foundation's signature program, awards exceptional young men and women with a five-year early-career Fellowship, empowering them to become master teachers and leaders in education. For more information, visit www.kstf.org.