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By Courtney Siber, PR Intern
MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (May 1, 2003) – When science teacher and Milligan education alumnus Nikki Votaw walked into her school’s gymnasium for a school-wide assembly earlier this month, she was shocked when all attention turned to her. Unbeknownst to Votaw, the assembly had been called to announce that she was the recipient of the 2003 Amgen Science Teaching Excellence award for the commonwealth of Kentucky. The award carries an unrestricted $10,000 cash prize.
“The whole day was a daze to me,” says Votaw, who is a sixth grade science and math teacher at the Christian Academy of Louisville. “I kept thinking, ‘I just won 10,000 dollars.'”
Votaw was so unaware of the honor and the planned announcement that she came to school that day dressed in camouflage and boots to lead a “Survivor” game for her classes. Some say that’s just an example of Votaw’s dedication to making education enjoyable and meaningful to her students.
“She is an outstanding teacher and I’m so thrilled for her,” said Johnson City’s Town Acres reading teacher Helen Bowman. “I’m so proud of her and so proud for Milligan College.”
Bowman regularly works with Milligan education majors as interns in her classroom and says she is always impressed with the high caliber of work Milligan students bring to the schools.
Bowman has been teaching developmental reading in Johnson City for the last 12 years. She has won such awards as a State School Board Award for her literature based reading program, Washington County Teacher of the Year and Johnson City Teacher of the Year.
She describes Votaw as one of the most talented, innovative and creative teachers she has known.
For 11 years, Amgen, the world’s largest biotechnology company, has conducted the Amgen Award for Teacher Excellence. Last year, Amgen modified the award to focus solely on excellence in science teaching. Headquartered in Thousand Oaks, Calif., this year Amgen also recognized one teacher each from California, Colorado, Washington and Rhode Island in the public or private school, grades K-12. Teachers are nominated by students and colleagues and are recognized for demonstrating science teaching excellence and having a great impact on the lives of their students.
Votaw earned her undergraduate degree in 1996 and her master’s degree in elementary education in 1997, both from Milligan. She has taught science and math at Town Acres Elementary School in Johnson City, Tenn., in Harrison, Ohio, and is now in her third consecutive year in Louisville.
Votaw is currently working on her Ph.D. in curriculum instruction with an emphasis in elementary education at the University of Louisville. In 2002, she was awarded a full paid scholarship to the Lysol National Science Teachers Association conference in San Diego.
She will receive the official 2003 Amgen Science Teaching Excellence award at a special ceremony in May. She plans on using some of the money to pay off loans and some to enjoy personally.
“We are thrilled for Nikki and her accomplishments,” said Dr. Bert Allen, interim chair of the education area at Milligan. “She is a fine representative of our education program and an example of servant leadership in action – a teacher putting everything into serving and educating her students.”