Downers Grove Science Teacher Named State Finalist for Presidential Award

Submitted by Downers Grove Grade School District 58

Whether she is writing a grant to have a wind turbine installed on the school’s roof, organizing the school’s hands-on Chemistry Day, or bringing a group of students to compete in a weekend engineering challenge, O’Neill Middle School science teacher Meg Van Dyke never stops seeking out ways to inspire her students to appreciate science—and to possibly pursue a career in the field.

“I love instilling a love of science in young people, whether that is in my classroom, working with my engineering students, or with my Energy Kids who teach fourth graders about types of energy and energy conservation,” Van Dyke said.

Van Dyke’s passion, commitment and dedication have led to her being named one of just three state-level science finalists for this year’s Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) Program, the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science.

According to the PAEMST website, “awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of math and science education.”

“As a lifelong learner, Dr. Van Dyke inspires her students and colleagues to explore and argue scientific thought, and to participate within a high-quality instructional program that is informed by content knowledge and enhances student learning,” said District 58 Superintendent Kari Cremascoli. “She demonstrates a commitment to advocating for the needs of students and is an inspiration to her students, her colleagues and our community. In these regards and many more, Dr. Van Dyke serves as a model for her colleagues, an inspiration to our community, and a leader in the improvement of mathematics and science education.”

Van Dyke, who holds a doctorate in educational technology, spends her summers teaching, learning and conducting research at Argonne National Laboratory. She is passionate about science education and committed to finding creative ways to teach her students about concepts.

Van Dyke founded the O’Neill Energy Kids Club, which visits District 58 elementary schools to talk about energy conservation and brings along a special bicycle that lights up light bulbs. The students find out how hard they have to pedal in order to light up a regular light bulb versus a Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb.

She organizes an Energy Day and a Chemistry Day each year, during which students have a chance to view and try numerous hands-on experiments and demonstrations. She also regularly takes groups of students to engineering and science competitions, such as a bridge-busting competition at University of Illinois and the Fluid Power Challenge sponsored by the National Fluid Power Association.

More than anything, Van Dyke hopes to inspire her students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. She also is committed to seeking out additional funding sources to enhance her students’ classroom experience.

Over the past several years, she has applied for and won more than $37,000 in grants for O’Neill from a variety of sources, including BP, the District 58 Education Foundation, and the Kinder Morgan Foundation. With the $10,000 BP grant, O’Neill launched its Energy Kids Club and Compact Flourescent Light bulb fundraiser program, and purchased two Vernier Lab Quest hand-held scientific computing devices.

A grant from the District 58 Education Foundation enabled the school to purchase several sets of experimental probes to measure conditions such as temperature, pH and motion, which hook into the Vernier devices and allow the students to collect, manipulate and graph data in real time. Each fall as part of World Water Monitoring Day, the students bring these devices each fall to Barth Pond on 55th Street to take water quality measurements. A Kinder Morgan grant Van Dyke earned in 2009 enabled O’Neill to purchase about 10 more Vernier devices and several more sets of probes. Van Dyke received a Kinder Morgan grant in 2011 to have a wind turbine installed on the school’s roof, and in 2012 to purchase iPads for hands-on activities and lessons.

“It is an honor to be a state finalist for the PAEMST, but any accolades I may receive are the direct reflection of all the teachers who have helped me throughout my journey of convincing middle school students that being a scientist or engineer is something they should strongly consider as a path in life. Or, if nothing else, appreciate the wonder of science and all that it brings to make society better,” said Van Dyke, who also was named the 2013 Teacher of the Year by the Downers Grove Elementary Education Association.

All state-level PAEMST finalists will be honored at an awards luncheon during the Illinois Science Education Conference on Oct. 25, but Van Dyke will be unable to attend, as she will be bringing a group of students to an engineering competition that same day.

As a state-level finalist, Van Dyke is a candidate for the state’s single science Presidential Award, and her application has been forwarded for judging at the national level. Teachers selected as Presidential Award Finalists will be notified officially by the White House sometime late spring or early summer 2014. Each National Presidential Awardee will receive $10,000 and an all-expense-paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., where Presidential Awardees will be honored in a variety of recognition events.