Monica Ellis, 2007 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Monica Ellis became a member of HASTI during the early years of her teaching career. Over the past eighteen years she has served the organization in many capacities. She began by presenting sessions at the state conventions and then started to serve on convention committees. She was first elected to the Board of Directors as the Elementary Representative from 1993-1998. She later served as the 2003-2004 Vice President and 2004-2005 President of HASTI. Monica was part of the committee that formulated HASTI’s first Strategic Plan to help the organization refocus and redefine its mission and better address the current and future needs of Indiana teachers of science. As President, she began the implementation of that initiative. Monica was the 2006 Convention Chair for “Making Connections,” the 36th state convention. She introduced the use of strands to add in-depth professional development areas to the event. She continues to serve on the HASTI Convention and Teacher Survey Committees.
Monica’s involvement in science education and support of HASTI extends beyond our organization. Her expertise has been shared with other science educators at the local, state, and national levels. She has presented at NSTA national and HASTI state conventions, developed district level workshops, and offered sessions within her school. Monica was the Local Arrangements Chair for NSTA’s 2004 Area Convention held in Indianapolis. She also was co-coordinator of the Mini HASTI professional development activities that were offered at the 2006 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. She has served on state science proficiencies and science standards committees. She was a member of the Eli Lilly Science Elementary Outreach Committee and presented training workshops for participating scientists. After 31 years of teaching grades K-5 in several school systems, Monica recently retired from Sunnyside Elementary in the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township in Indianapolis.
Monica has been recognized for her efforts and success in science education at many levels. At the national level, she received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching. Monica is a recipient of the Golden Apple, Lilly Science, and NASA Honors Teacher awards. She was also designated a WRTV Teacher of the Week She has been named Outstanding Supervising Teacher by the Association of Teachers Educators-Indiana and DePauw University. At the district level she has received both the Superintendent’s and the Above and Beyond Awards.
Monica is being honored with the 2007 Edward L. Frazier Distinguished Service Award as a result of her continuous service, commitment to the HASTI mission, and dedication to improving science education.

"HASTI provides the key that opens doors to professional development for Indiana teachers of science at all levels."
Monica Ellis

Carol Chen, 2006 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Carol Chen began her involvement with HASTI as the Indiana Association of Chemistry Teachers (IACT) representative at the Board of Directors meetings. She has continued to serve our association over the years in many additional capacities. Carol has been an elected member of the HASTI Board serving as District 4 Representative, Vice President, President, and State Convention Chair. She is currently the Chair of the Professional Development Committee. When there is a job to be done, Carol readily accepts the challenge. Her involvement has been long term and varied. She is an established presence at the state conventions, working on the committees and giving presentations. As a member of the planning team, she contributed to the writing of our organization’s first Strategic Plan. Carol represented HASTI at the NSTA Indy Area Convention as a member of the Program Committee as well as the manager of the HASTI Booth. Carol’s willingness to volunteer her time and expertise over the years has contributed to the continued success of our organization Carol’s involvement in science education extends well beyond our organization. She was on the Indiana Outreach Committee for Chemistry with Purdue University and was on the committee that established IACT. She has served on the state Science Proficiencies and Science Standards committees. She shares her expertise with other science educators at the local, state, and national levels. Carol has coached her students for the FIRST and the Indiana Academic Competition teams. She is a certified mentor trainer. After twenty eight years in education, Carol recently retired from Kokomo Center Schools where she was the Science Curriculum Supervisor. Throughout the years she has taught physical science, ChemCom, college prep chemistry and AP Chemistry. Carol’s impact on colleagues and students is evident in the awards she has received. She is the recipient of the Tandy Award for Science Teaching, received recognition as an Outstanding Teacher through the Indianapolis News Star Student Award, Rose Hulman Outstanding Teacher, and Project E Excellence in Teaching Awards. Carol is grateful to all the science educators in Indiana who helped her become a better teacher and enriched her life. Belonging to HASTI continues to be a rewarding experience.

"Sharing is the essence of teaching." – Bill Moyers

Sharon McElroy, 2006 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Sharon McElroy, an East Washington Middle School and Eastern High School science teacher from Borden, Indiana, is being honored with the 2006 HASTI Distinguished Service Award as a result of her service and commitment to the organization. Sharon served as co-president for IMAST (Indiana Mid-level Association of Science Teachers) from 1996 to 1998. She was the HASTI Middle School Representative from 1999 to 2002, Vice-president and President from 2002 to 2004, and Chairperson for the 2005 Convention, “Engaging Inquiry.” Throughout her term as our 36th President, Sharon was committed to the continued growth of HASTI. She recognized the need for HASTI to become a proactive voice for science teachers and her legacy will acknowledge her as the originator of HASTI’s Strategic Plan to meet that need. Through her leadership, this plan is now in place to provide opportunities for professional development, networking of teachers, and information sharing for Indiana teachers of science at all levels and in all disciplines. Sharon has distinguished herself with her long-term vision for the organization. In addition to her contributions to HASTI, Sharon has received numerous awards and recognition from state and national science organizations. She won the INTEL Excellence in Teaching Award in 1999. She was awarded a position as one of five American teachers to represent the United States at the AAAS/APEC Youth Science Festival in Singapore in 2000. She was awarded the SEFI Distinguished Service Award Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 2003 for her dedicated work with students in her Science Research program. Sharon challenges, inspires, and supports students in every subject she teaches. Over the past 17 years, her research students have won numerous local, state, national, and international awards.

“I direct students through doors of opportunity toward a better future by illuminating their path with the visions I share.” – Sharon McElroy

Karen Henman, 2005 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Karen began her service to HASTI under the leadership of HASTI president Gus Costello in 1992. Gus drafted Karen to pass out raffle tickets at the Convention Social and her service to HASTI officially started. During her time with HASTI, Karen has presented workshops on various topics including Birds, Remote Sensing, Australia, Wetlands, the Grand Canyon, Ocean Ecology, and the Galapagos Islands. She has led numerous HASTI Field Trips during the Conventions. Over the past five years, Karen has served as District VII Representative on the Board of Directors for the Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Inc. During the past several years she has volunteered her time to help with any job that needed to be done in order to maintain the HASTI membership roster, to lend a hand with The Hoosier Science Teacher and to see that election ballots were mailed, received and counted.

Currently Karen teaches seventh grade at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Terre Haute, Indiana. She is coordinator for their Science Fair and expects to have 75 of her students entered this year. She is the Academic Competition Coordinator for her school. Her students have placed first in the NASA Student Involvement Competition in four different years.

In addition to her HASTI commitments, Karen was a contributing author to the Curriculum Frameworks for Middle School developed by the Indiana Department of Education; Student Centered Science Activities published by Prentice Hall; and exploring Wetlands with Satellite Remote Sensing, a CD-ROM developed for NASA by Indiana State University's geography and Geology Department. She received an Indiana Academy of Science Research Fellowship and presented her findings during the annual meeting. Karen is a past president of the Indiana Audubon Society and received the James H. Mason Service Award in 2004. She also has received the National Audubon Outstanding Education Achievement Award. Last, but not least, Karen is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Outstanding Achievement in Environmental Protection.

Karen's favorite quote is, " I always tell myself not to be afraid to try anything once, especially regarding what or how I teach."

Patricia Zeck, 2004 Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Patricia Zeck, a Northwestern High School biology and chemistry teacher from Kokomo, Indiana is being honored with the 2004 HASTI Distinguished Service Award as a result of her dedicated service to the HASTI organization. Patty has served HASTI with tenacity, foresight and real commitment. Patty was HASTI president during 1997-1998 and Chairperson for the 1999 Convention. Patty is presently the secretary of HASTI and diligently serves on the Publications Committee as its chairman.

In addition to Patty's contributions to HASTI, Patty has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions and innovative science teaching. She received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2001. She received the Indiana Outstanding Biology Teacher Award in 2002. She was a Tandy Technology Scholar in 1993; a Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher to Japan in 2002; SEFI Distinguished Service Award Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 2001; Winner Intel Excellence in Teaching Award in 2000; and numerous other awards and recognition. All of these are truly indicative of Patty's quest to achieve the highest levels in all that she does.

Patty enjoys challenging and supporting students as indicated by her involvement in local and regional science fairs for 32 years, state science fairs for 15 years and International Science and Engineering Fairs for 18 years.

Patty has served on state committees as a co-author of the Indiana Academic Standards for the Department of Education, reviewer of the Core 40 tests, and author of sample lessons for the DOE. Patty has published several articles for the Hoosier Science Teacher as well as in Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science; Symposium Proceedings of Water Resources Education, Training and Practice; Cinergy Education Services; Early Childhood Education Journal; Phi Delta Kappa Fastback "Combating Plagiarism".

As involved as Patty has been in so many areas of science education, she still had the time and energy to present at numerous HASTI Conventions and serve the organization with vigor and a willingness to improve the effectiveness of HASTI.

The HASTI Board of Directors feels honored to recognize Patty and her service for so many years.