Teachers are NOAA’s valuable partners, our allies in building a science-informed society. We work with teachers throughout the year, but Teacher Appreciation Week offsite link — May 5-11, 2019 — gives us a special opportunity to reflect on the important role teachers play in their students’ lives and in society.
NOAA’s opportunities for educators come in many shapes and forms, but in one way or another, they all connect educators with Earth science experts and scientific techniques teachers can take into their classrooms. We hope that these connections give educators more tools to empower their students to address today’s pressing challenges.
This year, we reached out to NOAA scientists and educators and invited them to share what they love about working with educators. To all the teachers out there, thank you for the work that you do!“Teachers open students' eyes to what is in their backyard and how it relates to the world at large. They inspire and motivate, cultivating the next generation of big thinkers.”
— Susan Haynes, Education Program Manager, NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
![An enthusiastic educator builds a methane hydrate model as part of a lesson focused on ocean energy during a NOAA Office of Exploration and Research Exploring the Deep Ocean with NOAA professional development workshop. The workshop took place at the Aquarium of the Pacific in San Diego, California. (Image credit: Katie Sullivan, Aquarium of the Pacific) An enthusiastic educator builds a methane hydrate model as part of a lesson focused on ocean energy during a NOAA Office of Exploration and Research Exploring the Deep Ocean with NOAA professional development workshop. The workshop took place at the Aquarium of the Pacific in San Diego, California.](/sites/default/files/styles/sc_800x450/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/noaaoer12.8.18004.jpg?itok=uFekcaCq)
"Teachers are who we entrust to prepare our future leaders."
— Jonathan Guseman, Jackson, Kentucky, Weather Forecast Office
![A student learns about static electricity through the use of a Van de Graaff generator. (Image credit: Courtesy of Genevieve Swango/L.B.J. Elementary School) A student learns about static electricity through the use of a Van de Graaff generator.](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_crop_400x533px/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/Breanna_Baker%27s_Hair_Raising_Experiment.jpg?itok=TP5PINyh)
“I love learning, and to me, teachers embody the excitement of learning.”
— Emily Susko, NOAA Teacher at Sea Program Coordinator
![Teachers at Sea Helen Haskell (left) and Lisa Battig (center) and TAS Program Coordinator Emily Susko (right) pose for a photo on the tall ship Californian during the Southwest Teacher at Sea Alumni Workshop in San Diego, November 2017. (Image credit: Ryan Hawk) Teachers at Sea Helen Haskell (left) and Lisa Battig (center) and TAS Program Coordinator Emily Susko (right) pose for a photo on the tall ship Californian during the Southwest Teacher at Sea Alumni Workshop in San Diego, November 2017.](/sites/default/files/styles/sc_800x450/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/fairweather2017alumniandemily.jpg?itok=FNSnyAdD)
“I love working with teachers because they provide safe spaces for students to take risks, literally and figuratively, in the pursuit of scientific understanding and stewardship.”
— Molly Harrison, NOAA Planet Stewards Co-coordinator
![Flagstaff, Arizona, middle school teacher and NOAA Planet Steward Jillian Worssam stands at the ready while her chemistry student demonstrates a “carbon snake” (a controlled experiment that shows a chemical change to matter) for his chemistry final. (Image credit: Jillian Worssam, NOAA Planet Stewards) Flagstaff, Arizona, middle school teacher and NOAA Planet Steward Jillian Worssam stands at the ready while her chemistry student demonstrates a “carbon snake” (a controlled experiment that shows a chemical change to matter) for his chemistry final.](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_crop_400x533px/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/Jillian%20Worssam_Chemistry_final_fire_extinguisher.jpg?itok=zrfLq00a)
“Teachers are an amazing source of inspiration, not only to the students they teach, but also to all of us in NOAA!”
— Atziri Ibanez, National Education Coordinator, National Estuarine Research Reserve System
![Educators involved with a Teachers on the Estuary Programs put their paddling and artistic skills to use studying a marsh along the Hudson River Estuary. (Image credit: Chris Bowser, the Education Coordinator of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve) Educators involved with a Teachers on the Estuary Programs put their paddling and artistic skills to use studying a marsh along the Hudson River Estuary.](/sites/default/files/styles/sc_800x450/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/canoeart.jpg?itok=4AGteKdj)
“One of the most efficient and effective ways to tackle the challenge of helping to make ALL of the citizens of our country more 'Weather Ready' is by educating our school children.”
— Ron Morales, Charleston, South Carolina, Weather Forecast Office
![Warning Coordination Meteorologist Ron Morales supports Kids Teaching Flood Resilience (KTFR), a collective impact project being facilitated by Dr. Merrie Koester of the University of South Carolina Center for Science Education. Here, a student explains a weather forecast graph to her fellow classmates. (Image credit: Ron Morales, Weather Forecast Office, Charleston, South Carolina) Warning Coordination Meteorologist Ron Morales supports Kids Teaching Flood Resilience (KTFR), a collective impact project being facilitated by Dr. Merrie Koester of the University of South Carolina Center for Science Education. Here, a student explains a weather forecast graph to her fellow classmates.](/sites/default/files/legacy/image/2019/Jun/M.__explains_the_hourly_forecast%20%282%29.png)
“Teachers are passionate, caring, and want to make a difference for the future of our children.”
— Belkys Melendez, Newport/Morehead City Weather Forecast Office
![Belkys Melendez (right), a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, worked with Ms. Zulay Joa (left), a teacher at Glenallan Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland. Belkys is normally stationed at the Newport/Morehead City Weather Forecast Office in North Carolina where, in addition to forecasting the weather, she regularly visits local schools. (Image credit: Belkys Melendez, WFO Newport/Morehead City) Belkys Melendez (right), a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, worked with Ms. Zulay Joa (left), a teacher at Glenallan Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland. Belkys is normally stationed at the Newport/Morehead City Weather Forecast Office in North Carolina where, in addition to forecasting the weather, she regularly visits local schools.](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_crop_400x533px/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/2019-05-07_BelkysMelendez.jpg?itok=qlxFkTWG)
“Teachers put their hearts and souls into their work, nurturing small people into big people who can think for themselves, making the world a better place for all of us.”
— Bruce Moravchik, NOAA Planet Stewards Co-coordinator
![High school students on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands conducted multiple beach clean-ups in their community. (Image credit: NOAA Planet Stewards) High school students on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands conducted multiple beach clean-ups in their community.](/sites/default/files/legacy/image/2019/Jun/NOAAPlanetStewards_highschool_beach_cleanup.jpg)
“Working with teachers is absolutely the highlight of my job. Watching them expand on the information we provide to craft transformative experiences and lessons for their students is nothing short of awe-inspiring!”
— E.V. Bell, Marine Education Specialist, South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium
![After a seining program, a sixth-grade student from Ocean Bay Middle School in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, learned about the different juvenile fish species that inhabit his local estuary. Science teacher Cindy Lilly illustrated the importance of the estuary and salt marsh as nursery grounds for numerous marine species. The seining activity was part of the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium’s From Seeds to Shoreline® program. (Image credit: E.V. Bell/South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium) After a seining program, a sixth-grade student from Ocean Bay Middle School in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, learned about the different juvenile fish species that inhabit his local estuary. Science teacher Cindy Lilly illustrated the importance of the estuary and salt marsh as nursery grounds for numerous marine species. The seining activity was part of the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium’s From Seeds to Shoreline® program.](/sites/default/files/styles/scale_crop_400x533px/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/CindyLilly_OceanBayMiddle%20.jpg?itok=u3RqFnnT)
“The wonderful thing about reaching an educator is that they continue to inspire many children over time.”
— Louisa Koch, Director of NOAA Education
![Teacher at Sea alum Trevor Hance led a Trout in the Classroom program for 140 second-grade students at Laurel Mountain Elementary in Austin, Texas. (Image credit: Trevor Hance, NOAA Teacher at Sea) Teacher at Sea alum Trevor Hance led a Trout in the Classroom program for 140 second-grade students at Laurel Mountain Elementary in Austin, Texas.](/sites/default/files/styles/sc_800x450/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/hance_trevor2.jpg?itok=qXDu-1Us)
Our resounding thanks and a very happy Teacher Appreciation Week to every educator! If you'd like to explore more ways to work with NOAA, check out our opportunities for educators.