Jeffrey “Jeff” Adkins
Deer Valley High School
Antioch, CA

“Everything I teach is over your head,” Jeff Adkins likes to tell his high school students. With 35 years of experience studying and teaching astronomy and physics — including the use of the Spitzer Infrared Space Telescope and telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatory, as well as participating in Space Camp for Teachers — Adkins guides his students as they work independently on advanced projects. Adkins established the Earth, Space and Astronomy Center for Education at his school after winning a California Department of Education grant. He was the Antioch Unified School District’s Teacher of the Year for 2004-2005, California’s Computer-Using Educators’ Teacher of the Year in 2006, and he received the Astronomical Association of Northern California’s Special Award in 2006. As a child, Adkins loved to copy star charts on poster boards at the library and take them home to study. He earned is astronomy degree from the University of Arizona.

Mike Fischer
Granite Bay High School
Granite Bay, CA

Mike Fischer firmly believes that discovery and application of science are the best ways to make a positive impact on high school students. His physics, applied physics and technology classrooms are filled with creative student projects. Most days call for demonstrations, activities or laboratory experiments that actively involve, excite and challenge his students — whether it’s cooking hot dogs with electricity, dropping bowling balls from football stadium bleachers or detonating hydrogen balloons. What’s not always obvious, though, is the deeper understanding of science concepts and techniques that follow the action-packed lessons. “It’s so much more effective to teach students once they’re enthusiastic about the subject,” says Fischer, who has taught science for more than 15 years. “But we really do cover the standards thoroughly. It’s much more than just the fun you see.”

Steve Latshaw
Westlake Hills Elementary School
Westlake Village, CA

Steve Latshaw’s passion for science transcends grade levels. In his various capacities, this award-winning fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade teacher challenges students to think creatively, evaluate conventional wisdom, look for patterns in chaos and discover solutions for the abstract needs — not just the obvious needs — of our society. In his more than 36 years of teaching, Latshaw has encouraged students to respect the scientific method, continuously analyze data, conduct meaningful research and, for years, use the Internet. While a glimpse into his classroom reveals whiteboards filled with mathematical equations, bulletin boards covered with grids, planets hanging from the ceilings, microscopes and computers competing for counter space and robots following pre-programmed courses, you can’t overlook the buzz of students’ voices interacting with, presenting to and encouraging each other. Field trips to science museums and observatories compete with student science fairs and invention conventions.

Mark Mayo
Los Alamitos High School
Los Alamitos, CA

Mark Mayo has taught science for 32 years at the high school and college levels. In the early 1980s, he created a science lecture series — with support from American Honda and the University of Southern California (USC) — that served thousands of students. In 1993, Mayo and a local doctor began a Mentors for Medicine program featuring lectures and demonstrations by local health professionals. More recently, Mayo performed research at the USC School of Dentistry’s Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology where he published numerous papers and presented his research at various international scientific meetings. As part of that work, he secured funding to train students in research methods at the USC Health Science campus. Mayo’s students have received awards of excellence at numerous county and state science fairs. Mayo has received numerous grants and teacher of the year awards, including a national award from the National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research in 2000.

Dave Menshew
James C. Enochs High School
Modesto, CA

When a local juvenile detention center employee challenged successful businessman Dave Menshew to volunteer with the students there, Menshew had no idea that the experience would change his life. “What I found,” he says, “was that the chance to teach was far more important than financial success.” Menshew continued working as president of a multimillion-dollar retail corporation while he returned to school to earn his teaching credential. Upon graduation, he sold his business and began teaching middle school. He soon earned his National Board Certification, an MA in Education and numerous awards including Teacher of the Year from the 21st Century Learning Centers. He went on to create “Fun With Science,” a public program enjoyed by hundreds of local students and parents. He recently originated, co-developed and is now lead teacher of the first four-year high school Forensic Biotechnology Career Pathway Program. Today he teaches forensic biology and general biology to ninth and tenth graders.

Jay S. Vavra, Ph.D.
High Tech High
San Diego, CA

When facing tough challenges, Dr. Jay Vavra routinely asks himself,
“What would Jane do?” The Jane he refers to is Jane Goodall. Her historical accomplishments inspire Dr. Vavra to encourage students to achieve great things in biology and make the world a better place. Dr. Vavra began his biology research at Stanford University and later earned his marine biology doctorate from the University of Southern California. He brings his diverse life experiences into the classroom from a range of fields: zoo-archaeology, protein chemistry, comparative physiology and environmental assessment. In 2006, Dr. Vavra and his eleventh graders received an Environmental Excellence Award. He recently began a novel collaborative study in conservation forensics with the Department of Conservation and Research for Endangered Species at San Diego’s Zoological Society. The project involves developing and testing DNA bar coding for the identification of African bush meat. Dr. Vavra was invited by the Smithsonian to present his students’ discoveries at the 2006 American Zoo and Aquarium meeting.