NWA Sol Hirsch Education Fund Grants

National Weather Association (NWA)
SOL HIRSCH EDUCATION FUND GRANTS

The NWA Education Committee is please to announce that the Sol Hirsch Education Fund Grants have been increased to $750 for the 2010-2011 School Year. Also new this year, the application process is completed totally on-line.

Please Note: That due to an overwhelming response, this year's Grants will not be awarded until early October.
We apologize to those waiting to hear from us.

Sol Hirsch Education Fund Grants are awarded annually to teachers/educators of grades K-12 to help improve the education of their students, school and/or community in the science of meteorology. The Grant is intended to allow teachers to:

  • Purchase scientific materials and / or equipment for the classroom, school or community.
  • Begin new school and / or community science outreach and education programs.
  • Enhance and / or expand existing meteorology / science education programs.
  • Attend accredited courses, workshops and /or conferences related to meteorology that will significantly enhance their teaching activities.

The NWA will award up to seven (7) grants this summer thanks to the many NWA members who have contributed to this fund in honor of Sol Hirsch who retired in 1992 after being the NWA Executive Director for 11 years.

In general, those teachers /educators selected to receive the grant are those who's applications:

  • Are deemed to have the greatest need.
  • Will have the most significant and widest impact.
  • Have the most detailed information on how the grant money will be spent.
  • Are most likely to succeed with their proposal.

Applications are due no latter than June 1st and will be awarded to the Educator and their school in late August.

Click Here to apply for the Sol Hirsch Education Fund Grant

Congratulations to the ten teachers winning the Sol Hirsch NWA Education Fund Grants for 2009! These were announced at the Annual Awards Luncheon during the 34th NWA Annual Meeting in Norfolk, Virginia on 21 October 2009:

Mike Brown, Peter Woodbury School, Bedford, NH

Brendan Casey, Joan MacQueen Middle School, Alpine, CA

Debra Gochros, Kawaikini NCPCS, Lihue, HI

Margarita Gonzalez, John E. Ford Pre K-8 School, Jacksonville, FL

Kelly Green, Hamilton Accelerated Elementary School, Hamilton, MO

Danielle Hutchins, Life Adventure Center of the Bluegrass, Versailles, KY

Steven M. Jacobs, Dundee Middle School, Dundee, MI

Michael Lampert, West Salem High School, Salem, OR

Austen Onek, Pink Palace Museum, Memphis, TN

Jessie Soder, Gustavus School, Gustavus, AK

Over forty grant applications were received from great teachers all across the United States.  NWA Education Committee members Sol Hirsch, Eleanor Vallier-Talbot, Jeffrey Tongue, Faith Borden, Paul Croft, Tom Ervin, Tony Lupo, Vanessa Myers, Donald Price and Richard Snow had a difficult time determining the recipients.  Ten educators were selected and approved by NWA President Mike Vescio.  Congratulatory letters from Executive Director Steve Harned, certificates of achievement and $500 checks were sent to the schools and educational institutions.  For the first time, educators from the states of New Hampshire, Alaska and Hawaii were chosen to fulfill their projects.  

Education Committee Co-Chair Eleanor Vallier-Talbot traveled to Bedford, New Hampshire, to personally award the grant check to Mike Brown and the educator team at the Peter Woodbury School.

Eleanor Vallier-Talbot delivers the Sol Hirsh Education Grant at the Peter Woodbury School - Oct 2009 Grand Opening of the Project at Peter Woodbury School

Special thanks to all teachers that applied and best wishes in all your initiatives — improving education in the atmospheric and related sciences. Congratulations again to the grant winners!  Since the NWA Hirsch Education Grant program began in 1993, $500 grants have been awarded to 88 K-12 educators for a total of $44,000 from 34 states and one U.S. territory.  Thanks to the many NWA members who donate to this worthwhile program.

Past Winners of the NWA Sol Hirsch Education Fund Grants



2008 — Cliff Hudson, Williamston High School, Williamston, NC
                Mary Jean Johnston, Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center, Punxsutawney, PA
                Bev McKillip, Elkhorn Valley School, Tilden, NE
                Ronette Oller, Fort Middle School, Columbus, GA
                Susan Parker, Buckland Elementary School, Gates, NC
                Teresa Root, St. Mary of the Lake School, White Bear Lake, MN
                Timothy Sheehan, Sangamon County Juvenile Center, Community Transition Program, Springfield, IL
                Clara Shoe, Foster Elementary School, Tampa, FL
                Lisa Sims, Zellwood Elementary School, Zellwood, FL
                Leslie Stafford, Manual Junior Preparatory School, Peoria, IL

2007 — Chris Campbell, Simsboro School, Simsboro, Louisiana
                Terri Cloyde, Madill Elementary School, Madill, Oklahoma
                Scott MP Hawbaker, Depew Middle School, Depew, New York
                Linda R. Hogan, Lake Ridge Middle School, Gary, Indiana
                Deb Hurst, Mills Elementary School, Austin, Texas
                Dana K. Kelly, Highlands Grove Elementary, Lakeland, Florida
                Veronica Krautheim,  Multimedia & Visual Arts School, Crawford Educational Complex, San Diego, California
                Betsy Moore, Goodridge Elementary School, Hebron, Kentucky
                J. Christine Paulsell, Jefferson East Curriculum Center, Covington, Louisiana
                Cindy Wilson-Hyde, Gulliver Academy, Coral Gables, Florida

2006 — Karen Ashton, Dr. John Long Middle School, Wesley Chapel, Florida.
                Vickie Blankenship, East McDowell Junior High School, Marion, North Carolina.
                Regina Brinker, Christensen Middle School, Livermore, California.
                Robert L. Dospoy, Harmony Elementary School, Westover, Pennsylvania.
                Sherry Goldman,Floranada Elementary School, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
                Joyce Hembree, Mark Twain Elementary School, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
                Kathleen Jerome, STAR Academy, Lillington, North Carolina.
                Kathy K. Lineberger, Marvin Ward Elementary School, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
                Ros Won, Marymount School of New York, New York City.
                Way Yuhl, Flagstaff Children's Museum, Flagstaff, Arizona.

2005 — Marla Baldwin, Gillis Elementary School, Lake Charles, Louisiana.
                Gene Bush, Clay Hill Elementary School, Jacksonville, Florida.
                Karen DeBartolo, Saint Mark's Christian School, Middleburgh, New York.
                Erik Wood Fogel, Bronx Preparatory Charter School, Bronx, New York.
                Linda Militello, P.S. 84 Erie County Health Care Center, Buffalo, New York.
                Mary Ann Nakamoto,Churchill Elementary School, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
                Caprice Potter, Gateway School, Santa Cruz, California.
                Catherine Ryan, Alvin High School, Alvin, Texas.
                Robert J. Stewart, Jr., Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center, Manassas, Virginia.

2004 — David W. Chapman, Okemos High School, Okemos, Michigan.
                Melanie DuBose, Valley Community Charter School, North Hills, California.
                Garland Jay Hart, Campbell Academy Challenge Cluster, Atlanta, Georgia.
                Peter Leinau, Jack L. Boyd Outdoor School, Fish Camp, California.
                Windy Linden, Reed Elementary School, Tiburon, California.
                Wendy McNeil, Dorothy B. Johnson Elementary School, Wilmington, North Carolina.
                Jennifer C. Williams, Isidore Newman School, New Orleans, Louisiana.

2003 — Cherie Edwards, Meadowlark Elementary School, Chinook, Montana.
                 Deborah J. Hargrove, LaVerna Evans Elementary School, O'Fallon, Illinois.
                 Kathy K. Lineberger, Marvin Ward Elementary School, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
                 Denise Scioli, Alternative Learning Center (Austin Independent School District), Austin, Texas.
                 John Schaefers, Ingomar Middle School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

2002 — Mary W. Altus, Brennan Elementary School, Columbia, South Carolina.
                Barbara A. Doughty, Saint Mary Elementary School, Norwalk, Ohio.
                James F. Dowling, Reading Muhlenberg Area Vocational School, Reading, Pennsylvania.
                Shannon Kleweno, Cedar Creek Elementary School, Olathe, Kansas.
                Rebecca J. Petrey, Kairos Academy, Newark, Ohio.

2001 — Chris Hockert, Clifton Hills Elementary School, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
                 Bernice Lowery, Langston Magnet School, Hot Springs, Arkansas.
                 Karen A. Vitek, Nassau Spackenkill School, Poughkeepsie, New York.

2000 — Susan J. Flores and Lynn Sillitoe, New Dominion Alternative School, Manassas, Virginia.
                 Marilyn M. Johnson, Umatilla-Morrow Education Service District, Pendleton, Oregon.
                 Catherine Sachse, Hudson Valley Circle of Learning, Rock Tavern, New York.

1999 — Jill Evans of the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium in Fort Myers, Florida.
                 Peggy Morgan of Walnut Grove Elementary School in Ferguson, Missouri.
                 Arlene Scull of North Elementary School in Youngstown, Ohio.

1998 — Angela Marsan, Central Elementary School in Clewiston, Florida.
                Mary Beth Bauer, Ingram Tom Moore High School, Ingram, Texas.

1997 — Catherine Cavanaugh, Whitaker Center for Math, Science and Technology in Naples, Florida.
                Robyn Behen, Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Jefferson City, Missouri.
                Uri Harel, Hartland Elementary School in Hartland, Vermont. 

1996 — Leslie Demmert, Belleville, Illinois School District #118.
                Lisa Marie Gonzales, Thomas R. Pollicita Middle School in Daly City, California. 

1995 — Carrie Ann Lucas, Hopwood Junior High School in Chalan Piao, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
                Winnifred G. Bolinsky, Foglesville Elementary School in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
                Christina Wilder, Paul Revere Elementary School in San Francisco, California. 

1994 — Barbara Feller, Program Director of Science Station, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
                Jean M. Parker, Sacred Heart School in Boise, Idaho. 

1993 — Linda J. Wygoda, Sam Houston High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

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Updated: 10 Aug, 2010