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Outstanding middle and senior high school teachers were honored at a special awards banquet at the MESA Academy for Science and Math Educators (MASME) on August 4. Andrew Walter, math teacher at Stagg High School in Stockton (University of the Pacific MESA Center), was honored as the outstanding high school advisor of year, winning the Mary Perry Smith Award, named after MESA’s founder. Two MESA advisors shared the outstanding middle school advisor award. Gloria Mitchell and Mari Lynn Genota received the Julian Zaragoza Award, named after an outstanding MESA advisor and director. Mitchell is a seventh grade pre-algebra teacher and Genota is an eighth grade physical sciences teacher. Both teach at Monroe Middle School in Inglewood (UCLA MESA Center). Two teachers were honored for serving as MESA advisors for over 25 years: Eddie Johnson , 26 years, Compton High School in Compton (UC Irvine MESA Center) and Roberto Ramirez, 31 years, Windsor High School in Windsor (Santa Rosa MESA Center). During the banquet special guest state senator Tom Torlakson praised the award winners, the MESA program and all its advisors. Torlakson, a former biology teacher, emphasized that California’s economy needed programs like MESA so all students would be academically prepared to become the state’s future scientists, engineers and mathematicians. “Thank you for being there for the students of California,” he told the crowd. Torlakson presented special senate commendations for all the honorees as well as the MESA directors. The following outstanding teachers were nominated for their excellence and dedication. HIGH SCHOOL: Dan Lucas, Channel Islands High School, Oxnard, UC Santa Barbara MESA Center; Marcela Malabanan, Dominguez High School, Compton, UC Irvine MESA Center; Cheryl Onoye, Palisades Charter High School, Pacific Palisades, USC MESA Center; Joyce Sullivan, Southwest High School, El Centro, Imperial Valley MESA Center. MIDDLE SCHOOL: Paula Benta, Thomas Edison Middle School, Los Angeles, USC MESA Center; Elizabeth Jimenez, Bill E. Young Middle School, Calipatria, Imperial Valley MESA Center; Jeff Kiesel, Roosevelt Middle School, Paramount, CSU Long Beach MESA Center; Nenita O. Penuela, Davis Middle School, Compton, UC Irvine MESA Center; Brent Rummell, Jefferson Middle School, Paramount, CSU Long Beach MESA Center; Alaknanda Shanker, Landmark Middle School, Moreno Valley, UC Riverside MESA Center. OUTSTANDING MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVISORS OF THE YEAR (JOINT AWARD) Gloria Mitchell - MESA advisor for 8 years "Ms. Mitchell and Ms. Genota have demonstrated exemplary efforts to engage and deepen the MESA experiences of each student inside and outside of the classroom. Ms. Genota incorporates all of the MESA projects into her science curriculum to provide students with enrichment and exposure to deeper content. Ms. Mitchell provides each of her classes with an advance review of Algebra 1 throughout the year to make sure students are prepared and successful. Together they teach and show students the complementary nature of math and science." Rich Ainsworth, UCLA MESA Director OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL ADVISOR OF THE YEAR Andrew Walter - MESA Advisor for 13 years "Since Pacific's program began thirteen years ago, Andrew has been dedicated to the Pacific MESA Center and his MESA students. Andrew not only works at teaching math and science concepts, but also works at promoting self-esteem, discipline, and pride in his students. He is always encouraging his students to experiment and be innovative. Andrew not only empowers students; he also empowers their parents. Through his efforts Andrew's students have consistently gone on to become successful college candidates." Maria Garcia-Sheets, UOP MESA Director
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