Ferndale Science Teacher Wins Prestigious Fellowship

Ferndale High School science teacher Maurice Telesford is among 50 educators from throughout the United States selected to receive an all-expenses-paid fellowship to attend the Siemens STEM Institute from Aug. 4 to 9 outside Washington, D.C.

Participants in the immersion program will explore educational initiatives in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Siemens STEM Institute is a collaboration between the Siemens Foundation, Discovery Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the College Board.

"Maurice and the other selected educators will be exposed to leading scientists, thought-leaders, personalities and innovators whose work across STEM disciplines shape and define our world today," a press release says.

Finding balance

Telesford, a fourth-year physics and chemistry teacher, said he hopes the experience will give him a better idea of what engineering education can look like in high school classrooms and how he can make science more hands-on for his students.

"The more relevant it is – when they see a use for it – they prioritize it more in their minds. It also shows them how they could have career paths in it," he said. "Very few kids do not like science if it's presented in an interesting way. People are naturally curious about their environment if we give them a chance to explore. Students lose interest in science when they view it as just listening to lectures and reading textbooks."

Telesford said the key to effective science education is finding a balance between the two methods.

Making a difference

The Detroit resident, who went to Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, is no stranger to academic success. He has an impressive resume, including the following accomplishments.

• Earning an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan.
• Teaching English in Madrid, Spain, on a Fulbright Fellowship.
• Earning a master's degree in secondary science education from Harvard University.

However, Telesford said he didn't think twice about passing up more lucrative career options to go into education.

"It's important to me that whatever I'm doing is fulfilling," he said. "I enjoy the challenge of engineering but I've found teaching to be even more challenging, intellectually. So, it allows me to be intellectually challenged while being able to make a difference, to use a cliche, to influence young peoples' lives."