Major Accomplishments:

YEAR 12 2008-2009 (top)

• 11th year at El Camino Junior High: 7th Grade Science, 8th Grade Science, Robotics Science (3 sections)
• Science Department Chair
• Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year
  • Several speaking engagements
  • represented county teachers at events
• Master Teacher- hosted Science Single Subject Credential Candidate, Cal Poly, SLO
• RoboChallenge Director (8th year)
• RoboEvolution Grant
  • Co-wrote Grant Proposal
  • Received 14k for Materials
  • Selected Robotics Materials and distributed to schools on the Central Coast
• QAD TeachNet Technology Grant Recipient- Robotics Instruction Videos
• MESA Advisor (11th year)
• • Weekly Meetings
  • College Field Trips to Cal Poly
  • MESA Prelims at Cal Poly
  • Finals Cal State Fresno
  • Coordinated Pilot Robotics Competitions
• Teachers Leadership Network Institute, Fellow, Santa Barbara County
• Robotics Workshop: RoboChallenge, LEGO Robotics in MESA and K-12 Schools at annual MESA conference, MASME
• California STEM Innovation Network, Central Coast STEM Focus group participant
• Blog: http://lukelaurie.wordpress.com/
• Einstein Fellowship- screened candidate applications
• Extracurricular- SM City League Basketball

YEAR 11 2007-2008 (top)

• 10th year at El Camino Junior High: 7th Grade Science for English Language Learners, 8th Grade Science, Robotics Science (3 sections)
• Science Department Chair
• RoboChallenge Director (7th year)
• • Continued management of RoboChallenge Program
  • Implemented 8th grade Robotics Science Course
  • Developed new competitions
  • Developed Audio Visual and Web Based Resources
  • Coordinated regional robotics competitions.
  • Grant Writing: Cowrote grants with UCSB for "RoboEvolution"
• MESA Advisor (10th year)
• • Weekly Meetings
  • College Field Trips to Cal Poly, Cal State Long Beach, Long Beach Aquarium
  • MESA Prelims at Cal Poly
• Attended California Science Teacher's Association Annual Conference in Long Beach
• Testified before the California State Senate select Committee on Schools and Community on Science Education issues
• Expanded the Robotics Science Class to 3 sections (92 students)
• Began using LEGO Mindstorms NXT for Robotics Instruction
• Teachers Leadership Network Institute, Associate Fellow, Santa Barbara County
• Einstein Fellowship- screened candidate applications
• Piloted new Science Textbooks

YEAR 10 2006-2007 (top)

• Completed Master's Degree in Education, specializing in Curriculum and Instruction, Cal Poly
• One year leave of absence from teaching to work on education policy
• Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.
  • Worked in the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Worked as a Legislative Assistant in the office of Congressman Mike Honda, who represents CA's 15th District
  • Duties included advising the Congressman on the following issues:
    • Education
    • Environmental Issues
    • Homeland Security
  • Worked on Appropriations (funding) in the following areas:
    • Education (associate staff for the Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee)
    • Interior/Environment
    • Homeland Security
  • Completed the Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Legislative training at the Library of Congress
  • Researched numerous education issues
  • Collaborated with the Democratic Education Working Group
  • Arranged meetings with notable scholars, researchers, and experts to discuss important policy issues
  • Drafted Legislative Language for bills and amendments
  • Drafted language for Committee reports, Congressional Record statements, speeches, and correspondence
  • Drafted language for the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind
  • Worked to advance and promote legislation including:
    • The Global Warming Education Act H.R. 1728
      • Bill was introduced in the Senate as the Climate Change Education Act by Senator Barack Obama
    • The Student Privacy Protection Act H.R. 1346
  • Coordinated Congressional Forum on Climate Change, Energy, and the Americas
  • Attended numerous Congressional Briefings, Workshops, and Hearings, as well as off-Hill events
  • Attended the historic hearing in which Al Gore addressed Global Warming issues before Members of the House
  • Interacted with numerous Members of Congress, their staff, as well as representatives of advocacy groups
  • Lived in the D.C. area with my family for one year.
  • Interacted with other Einstein Fellows throughout the year
  • Attended workshops and tours at numerous government facilities, including NASA facilities, The National Academy of Science, The Library of Congress, the Department of Energy, and The National Institutes of Health
• Reviewer: National Science Foundation, Broadening Participation in Computing

YEAR 9 2005-2006 (top)

• Ninth Year at El Camino: 8th Grade Science, 7th Grade EL science, Robotics Science
• Science Department Chair
• Hosted Student Teacher: Allison West, during Winter Quarter '06
• Science Articulation Facilitator: maintained Science Articulation Email Listserve
• RoboChallenge Director (year 6)
  • Continued management of RoboChallenge Program
  • Implemented 8th grade Robotics Science Course
  • Developed new competitions
  • Developed Audio Visual and Web Based Resources
  • Coordinated regional robotics competitions.
• MESA Advisor, ninth year
  • Weekly Meetings
  • Attended MESA Leadership Camp at SCICON
  • Coached students for Lockheed Martin's "Future Stars Competition", El Camino students won third place
  • MESA Prelims at Cal Poly
  • MESA Finals at UC Santa Cruz
  • Camping Trip to Montana de Oro
• Procured Materials and technology for El Camino Science Department with $5,000 grant from the Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence
• Attended the California Science Teachers Association's Annual Conference in Palm Springs
• Extra-Curricular: Basketball: SM City League: The Educators
• Robotics: attended Robogames in San Francisco; won 3rd place in LEGO Sumo with "Torque"

YEAR 8 2004-2005 (top)

• Eighth Year at El Camino: 8th Grade Science, EL science, Robotics Science
• Science Department Chair
• Science Articulation Facilitator: established Science Articulation Email Listserve
• RoboChallenge Director (year 5)
  • Continued management of RoboChallenge Program
  • Implemented 8th grade Robotics Science Course
  • Documented strong academic growth for students in Robotics Science class
  • Developed Audio Visual and Web Based Resources
  • Coordinated regional robotics competitions.
• MESA Advisor, eighth year
  • Weekly Meetings
  • Attended MESA day, MESA finals
  • Science and Technology Day: conducted Robotics Workshop
• Received Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence, inculding $5,000 honorarium, and $5,000 grant for Science Department
• Extra-Curricular: Basketball: SM City League: The Educators 2nd place, Robotics
• Attended SFRSA Robogames

YEAR 7 2003-04 (top)

• Seventh year at El Camino: 8th Grade Science, PE, Robotics Science
• Received Professional Clear Single Subject Teaching Credential: Science: Geosciences (CLAD)
• Began implementing 8th grade science Robotics Science Curriculum
• RoboChallenge Director (year 4)
• Participated in grant writing to pursue continued funding for RoboChallenge
• Assisted and attended the Sumo Robot competition at the Santa Maria Strawberry Festival and Space Day
• Designed curriculum for a "Robotics Science Class" integrating 8th grade science and robotics to be taught during the 2003-2004 school year at El Camino
• Requested and received API money to purchase 4 Robolab Kits and 4 Robolab Guides for use in the Robotics Science Class
• Requested and received Title 1 materials funds to purchase a digital video projector for use in the Robotics Science Class and other Science classes
• New extra-curricular activity: began playing basketball
  • Continued management of RoboChallenge Program
  • Developed Curriculum and implemented 8th grade Robotics Science
  • Documented strong academic growth for students in Robotics Science class
  • Developed Audio Visual and Web Based Resources
• MESA Advisor, seventh year
  • Weekly Meetings
  • Trained 2 new MESA advisors
  • Attended MESA day/ Science and Technology Day, ran Robotics Workshop
• Science Action Team
• Science Articulation
• Passed the CSET; Teacher examinations General Science 1,2, and Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Extra-Curricular: Ocean Kayaking, Basketball, Robotics, Music
• Attended SFRSA Robolympics

YEAR 6 2002-03 (top)

• Sixth year at El Camino: 8th Grade Science, PE
• MESA Advisor, sixth year
  • Weekly Meetings
  • attended MESA leadership Camp
  • MESA Prelims
  • MESA Finals
  • Rocket Launch
  • El Camino MESA camping trip: Montaña de Oro
• Science and Technology Day, UCSB: attended and ran workshops on LEGO Robotics
• Beyond the Classroom: Facilitator
  • Summer Institute
  • Helped Organize BTC Culminating Event
  • Completed BTC Portfolio CD-ROM
  • All students in my classes created web pages about the Chemical Elements and Astronomy
• Attended SF Robotics Society of America's Holiday Robot Games
  • Received recognition for LEGO Line Following Robot and Remote mini sumo
• Hosted Students from Allan Hancock College through the CTFMS program
• Brought in our Planetarium for a week of Stargazing
• Digital Video
• Created RoboChallenge DVD
• RoboChallenge CD-ROM (including Quicktime movies)
• Videos for C-track:
  • End of Trimester 1
  • End of Trimester 2
  • End of the year video
• Began Website for El Camino Science Department
• Participated in "Harry Kroto Day"- Remote learning experience about Buckminsterfullerine by Nobel Prize winning scientist Sir Harold Kroto
• Coached students for Lockheed Martin's "Future Stars Competition", El Camino students won second place
• Robochallenge: Curriculum Director (year 3)
  • Competition Rules Development
  • Created DVD and CD-ROM resources
  • email list management
  • Event organization
  • Informal Robotics Gathering 2003
  • RoboChallenge Final Competition 2003
  • Website management
  • Designed T-shirts and custom medals for RoboChallenge

YEAR 5 2001-02 (top)

• Fifth year at El Camino: 8th Grade Science, PE
• MESA Advisor- year 5
  • Weekly Meetings
  • MESA Prelims
  • MESA Finals-CSU Fresno
  • El Camino MESA camping trip: Lopez Lake
  • MATI Conference-UCLA
• Science and Technology Day, UCSB, organized attendance for El Camino, ran RoboChallenge competitions
• Beyond the Classroom: Facilitator
  • Summer Institute: taught lessons in Digital Video Editing
  • All students in my classes created web pages: Astronomy Web Pages and Element Inquiry Projects
• Robochallenge: (year 2) Co-Director
  • developed many materials
  • digital videos
  • designed competitions
  • created email mailing list
  • created RoboChallenge website
  • helped write FOG grant for program continuation
• Founded Extra Curricular Activities Cadre: Facilitator
• sought continuation of clubs at El Camino
• Built most of this website
• Brought in our district's Planetarium for a week of Stargazing
• Robotics: Began building robots with LEGOs. Won first place in Mini Remote Sumo and Linefollowing during the San Francisco Robotics Society of America's Spring Robot Games
• Attended the National Science Teachers Association's Annual Conference in San Diego
• In renewing my credential, discovered I have completed more than 500 hours of staff development
• Hosted another student as part of the CTFMS program
• Digital Video
  • Assisted students to create an end of the year digital video
  • RoboChallenge Videos
• Created email mailing list for El Camino Kayakers
• Created email mailing list for El Camino Science faculty

YEAR 4 2000-01 (top)

• Fourth Year at El Camino. 8th Grade Science, PE
• MESA Advisor- year 4
  • Created a digital video to promote the MESA program
  • Weekly Meetings
  • MESA Prelims
  • (Did not attend MESA Finals-CSU Cal Poly)
  • Rocket Launch
  • El Camino MESA camping trip: Montaña de Oro
  • MATI Conference-Sacramento, UC Davis
• Science and Technology Day, UCSB, organized attendance for El Camino
• Beyond the Classroom participating teacher: combining Literacy, Technology, and Science
  • Created an Element Web Page unit for 8th Grade Science
  • Created an Astronomy Web Page unit for 8th Grade Science
  • Created a website to facilitate instruction and support for other teachers
• Equal Access Cadre: Facilitator
• organized and participated in lunchtime activities
• Science Action Team: Piloted Science Textbooks for adoption
• Club Advisor: The Games and Strategy Club
• Buddy Teacher; assisted new teachers at El Camino
• Hosted Students from Allan Hancock College through the CTFMS program
• Was trained to use the CCSP Coolearth website for uploading and manipulating Science Content
• Brought in our new Planetarium for a week of Stargazing
• Digital Video:
  • Assisted students to create an end of the year digital video
  • Created a digital video to promote the MESA program
  • Created Digital Videos on LEGO Robotics
• Participated in the UCSB Roboquest program for LEGO Robotics - year 1 (RoboChallenge)
• Extra Curricular: Began ocean kayaking

YEAR 3 1999-00 (top)

• Third Year at El Camino 7th Grade Science, 8th Grade Science
• MESA advisor- year 3
  • attended MESA leadership Camp
  • Weekly Meetings
  • MESA Prelims
  • MESA Finals- CSU Bakersfield
  • Rocket Launch
  • El Camino MESA camping trip: Montaña de Oro
• Science and Technology Day, UCSB, organized attendance for El Camino
• Tutor: Lunchtime tutoring
• SPSI member: Science Partnership for School Innovation
• Summer Institute
• Follow up days
• Science Action Team: helped select Science Equipment purchases for $120,000 grant
• Equal Access Cadre: Facilitator: organized and participated in lunchtime activities
• Club Advisor: The Games and Strategy Club
• Attended California Mathematics Council Annual Conference in Palm Springs
• Created a Human Body 'Complex Instruction' unit as part of coursework at Cal Poly
• Participated in Cal Poly's Middle School Science Institutes; presented how to use AV technology in the Science Classroom at the end of the year seminar
• Hosted Students from Cal Poly and Allan Hancock College through the CTFMS program
• Wrote a proposal for the purchase of an iMac Digital Video production workstation for E.C.
• Digital Video: Assisted students to create an end of the year digital video
• Coached Student in creating Videos for a film competition
• Honors: Awarded the Crystal Apple Award for Secondary Teacher in Northern Santa Barbara County

YEAR 2 1998-99 (top)

• Second Year at El Camino. 7th Grade Science, 8th Grade Math, PE
• MESA Advisor, year 2: was recognized by the SMBSD Board of Directors for outstanding achievement
  • attended MESA leadership Camp
  • Weekly Meetings
  • MESA Prelims
  • MESA Finals-UC Santa Cruz
  • Rocket Launch
  • El Camino MESA camping trip: Montaña de Oro
• Tutor: Lunchtime tutoring
• Attended California Mathematics Council Annual Conference in Palm Springs
• Attended trainings on Glencoe Mathematics
• Participated in the Central Coast Math Project
• Joined SPSI; Science Partnership for School Innovation
• Insect Collections Unit: Created a video to show other educators the unit
• Created a video to describe my teaching philosophy
• Equal Access Cadre: organized and participated in lunchtime activities
• created a video to promote clubs at El Camino
• Selected Videos to add to the El Camino Library by spending $1500.00 in grant funding
• Extra Curricular: Music- played trumpet in a Funk band: Joe Groove and the Bowlegged Monkeys

YEAR 1 1997-98 (top)

• Began Teaching at El Camino Junior High 7th grade Math, 7th grade Science, PE
• Began as a MESA advisor
  • attended MESA leadership Camp
  • Weekly Meetings
  • MESA Prelims
  • MESA Finals-UCSB
  • Rocket Launch
  • El Camino MESA camping trip: Montaña de Oro
• Created and implemented a Stock Market Simulation for Math classes
• Implemented an Insect Collection and Classification Unit with Science Classes
• Created my Positive Discipline System "The Colors of Success"
• Member of the Equal Access Cadre
• organized and participated in lunchtime activities
• Extra Curricular: Community Theater: Lead Role in "What's it All About Albee" Stolenfire Theater
• Directed, designed set, composed music, and had Major Role in "Artifact" Stolenfire Theater