Nine diocesan Catholic schools receive 2020 Thomas Edison STEM Awards

The Ohio Academy of Science selected 37 schools statewide -- including nine Catholic schools in the Diocese of Cleveland – and 464 teachers to receive The Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research for their accomplishments during the 2019-2020 school year.

Each school will receive a special Governor’s Award certificate and each teacher will receive a complementary membership to The Ohio Academy of Science. The Technology Division of the Ohio Development Services Agency funded the program.

Schools in the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland to receive the award are St. Sebastian, Akron; Holy Trinity, Avon; St. Raphael, Bay Village; St. Ambrose, Brunswick; St. Paschal Baylon, Highland Heights; St. Francis Xavier, Medina; St. Albert the Great, North Royalton; Incarnate Word Academy, Parma Heights; and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Wooster. All received the honor last year, also, and several are multiple-year winners.

Click here to view a complete list of this year’s winners.

There are four criteria for the Thomas Edison Award for Excellence:

• Conduct a local science fair with 12 or more students.
• Qualify two or more of those students for one of the academy’s 17 district science days.
• Have students participate in at least one or more youth science opportunities beyond the classroom such as State Science Day, Buckeye Science & Engineering Fair, Science Olympiad, B-Wiser, visits to museums, mentorship programs and extended field trips and other STEM-related youth activities.
• Convince external STEM professionals how and to what extent the school’s program met the academy’s definition of STEM education.

The Ohio Academy of Science defines STEM education as both the mastery and

integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for all PK-12 students. It

incorporates scientific inquiry and technological design through student-focused, project-based

curricula to develop skills of communication, teamwork/collaboration, creativity/innovation, critical thinking and problem solving.

First established in 1985, the Thomas Edison Awards recognize Ohio schools and teachers who stimulate scientific student research and technological design and extend experiential opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities.

“These schools and teachers are connecting classrooms to the real world by demonstrating the relevance of STEM,” said Michael E. Woytek, the academy’s executive director. “They are developing a group of active and intrinsic learners,” he added.

The Ohio Academy of Science initiated this educational partnership program in cooperation

with the governor’s office the Technology Division of the Ohio Development Services

Agency to recognize schools and teachers for excellence in STEM education and scientific student research.

The Ohio Academy of Science, established in 1891, is a membership-based, volunteer-driven,

not-for-profit organization.

Visit ohiosci.org for more information about OAS.

The Ohio Academy of Science selected 37 schools statewide -- including nine Catholic schools in the Diocese of Cleveland – and 464 teachers to receive The Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research for their accomplishments during the 2019-2020 school year.

Each school will receive a special Governor’s Award certificate and each teacher will receive a complementary membership to The Ohio Academy of Science. The Technology Division of the Ohio Development Services Agency funded the program.

Schools in the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland to receive the award are St. Sebastian, Akron; Holy Trinity, Avon; St. Raphael, Bay Village; St. Ambrose, Brunswick; St. Paschal Baylon, Highland Heights; St. Francis Xavier, Medina; St. Albert the Great, North Royalton; Incarnate Word Academy, Parma Heights; and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Wooster. All received the honor last year, also, and several are multiple-year winners.

Click here to view a complete list of this year’s winners.

There are four criteria for the Thomas Edison Award for Excellence:

• Conduct a local science fair with 12 or more students.
• Qualify two or more of those students for one of the academy’s 17 district science days.
• Have students participate in at least one or more youth science opportunities beyond the classroom such as State Science Day, Buckeye Science & Engineering Fair, Science Olympiad, B-Wiser, visits to museums, mentorship programs and extended field trips and other STEM-related youth activities.
• Convince external STEM professionals how and to what extent the school’s program met the academy’s definition of STEM education.

The Ohio Academy of Science defines STEM education as both the mastery and

integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for all PK-12 students. It

incorporates scientific inquiry and technological design through student-focused, project-based

curricula to develop skills of communication, teamwork/collaboration, creativity/innovation, critical thinking and problem solving.

First established in 1985, the Thomas Edison Awards recognize Ohio schools and teachers who stimulate scientific student research and technological design and extend experiential opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities.

“These schools and teachers are connecting classrooms to the real world by demonstrating the relevance of STEM,” said Michael E. Woytek, the academy’s executive director. “They are developing a group of active and intrinsic learners,” he added.

The Ohio Academy of Science initiated this educational partnership program in cooperation

with the governor’s office the Technology Division of the Ohio Development Services

Agency to recognize schools and teachers for excellence in STEM education and scientific student research.

The Ohio Academy of Science, established in 1891, is a membership-based, volunteer-driven,

not-for-profit organization.

Visit ohiosci.org for more information about OAS.