Two 体育菠菜大平台 graduates, one presidential award, many young students’ lives changed forever

Chelle Gillan and Judy Williams “are like two peas in a pod,” according to Williams. 
 
Of course, the two biology enthusiasts would describe their friendship as a plant.  
 
Beyond their close friendship and passion for science, the two attended the same university, 在同一所学校任教, and were both nominated for the same prestigious teaching in STEM award. 
 
“The legacy continues, right,吉兰说。. “我的意思是, she graduated from Kearney State, became this awesome teacher, 然后指导我, and now I'm trying to do the same. For years it was my goal, 我说, ‘I just want to be like Judy. I want to be as good as Judy.’” 
 
Williams graduated from Kearney State in 1971, and nearly 40 years later Gillan completed her teaching certificate and her M.S. 在线生物学 from the 内布拉斯加大学 at Kearney.  
 
Williams was a science teacher at Central City Public Schools from 1967 to 2000. During this time, she founded the school’s first ever science research courses.  
 
“The research at Central City stopped after she left. And that was pretty hard for her,吉兰说。. 
 
That is, until Gillan began teaching biology and health sciences at Central City Public High School. 
 
“When Chelle came on board, then the program came back and really started growing,” Williams said. “It's so much fun to watch Chelle and what she's done with it, because she's really taken it to the next level.” 

 
Since Gillan rejuvenated the program, she has had many students place in state and national research competitions and science fairs, and some of her high school students already have their work published in national scientific journals. 
 
“The collaborations that have come as a result of my time at 体育菠菜大平台 are very rewarding,吉兰说。. “I am so thankful for how helpful the 体育菠菜大平台生物系 have been with my own research students. I could probably count at least ten that have worked closely with my students.” 
 
Collaborating with 体育菠菜大平台’s faculty proved to be even more important than helping students win science fairs. 
 
“A lot of these students have never set foot on a college campus, and they don't necessarily have the resources to go visit,吉兰说。. “To get this experience in high school communicating with those college professors it makes college seem attainable to them that, ‘嘿, 我能适应这个世界.这是件大事. 这就是改变生活.” 
 
Another life changing opportunity for Gillan and her students is Gillan’s recent nomination for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The winner of this prestigious award is honored at the White House and will receive $10,为他们的学校捐了000英镑. 
 
“I nominated Shelley for this award because she's the most passionate and dedicated teacher I know in terms of her teaching and in students learning. The beauty of her teaching is that as students learn the content. She's also teaching them the skills needed to be critical thinkers and lifelong learners,威廉姆斯说。, 谁获得了1995年的奖项. 
 
After the nomination, there is an extensive application for the award. 

 
“What is really cool about the award is it is the most comprehensive reflection that a teacher will probably ever do on their teaching,吉兰说。. “It is such a learning experience and a growing experience that it's just cool to apply.” 
 
Gillan was recently selected as a state winner and is currently awaiting the final decision, which will be announced by the White House. 
 
“I really think that my time at 体育菠菜大平台 set me up very well for this award,吉兰说。. “Partially because of the research that my students are doing and the help of the 体育菠菜大平台 faculty. And obviously everything I learned as a part of the 生物学硕士项目. You can even go back to my teaching degree that I received from 体育菠菜大平台, that set me up to be the teacher that I am. There's a lot to thank 体育菠菜大平台 for relating to this award.” 
 
Gillan is also thankful to her mentor and friend, Williams. And she believes that she might have accomplished her goal of becoming “as good as Judy.” 
 
“有一次, maybe within the last couple of years, 我说, ‘I might be as good as Judy,’”吉兰说. “It just occurred to me: I might have actually accomplished my goal.”