Horizon Science Academy, staff earn award

Horizon Science Academy of Lorain, 760 Tower Blvd., and some of its staff received the Governor’s Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM Education for the 2017-18 school year, according to a news release.

Horizon was one of 61 Ohio schools selected.

The Ohio Academy of Science selected Horizon to receive the award for a third consecutive year.

The award for STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — education is given to institutions that stimulate student scientific research and technological design which extend beyond traditional classroom activities, the release said.

In the last five years, Horizon’s students have made incredible progress in science and engineering fairs, as well as innovation programs, according to the release.

The academy’s teachers are deserving of this award for their exemplary efforts of going beyond the classroom in the STEM fields, the release said.

Horizon teachers Hasan Savas and Serdar Muhammetberdiyev were selected for the award for their excellence in STEM education and student research, according to the release.

In addition, Ohio’s other academy of science concept schools had three schools receive this honor; Horizon Science Academies of Cincinnati, Dayton High School and Columbus Middle School.

Each school will receive a special Governor’s Award certificate and selected teachers will receive a complementary membership to The Ohio Academy of Science, according to a release from Ohio Academy of Science.

The criteria for the Thomas Edison Award for Excellence are: to conduct a local science fair with 12 or more students; qualify two or more of these 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; and 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 pre-K-12 students.

“These schools and teachers clearly promote and encourage studentfocused, inquiry-based, science research.” said Michael E. Woytek, the Academy’s CEO. “Each of the awardees demonstrate a commitment to providing hands-on learning experiences beyond the traditional classroom setting, and they value the rigor of competing at District and State Science Day.”