FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2010
Danielle McNamara
(510) 987-0230
Press Release
An Edison High School teacher and MESA advisor was named Outstanding Teacher of America by the Carlston Family Foundation this month. Alicia Taylor is one of five winners among dozens of nominees.
Two of the five winners this year are MESA teachers. Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) serves more than 1,000 SUSD students from its University of the Pacific center.
As a MESA advisor, Taylor teaches MESA classes, guides students and works with MESA staff and district officials. Taylor has been a MESA advisor for 10 years.
“Filled with energy and compassion, her compelling teaching style has motivated students into achieving greater personal, as well as academic success,” said Maria Garcia-Sheets, MESA University of the Pacific center director.
Since 2002 the Carlston Family Foundation has identified stellar public school teachers based on nominations by former students who have advanced to college. Each teacher receives $15,000 and an additional $5,000 for their school.
“The whole future of our workforce sits in classrooms across this country so it’s critical they are well educated,” said Tim Allen, Carlston Family Foundation executive director. “We want to recognize the teachers who are continually successful with even the most disadvantaged students.”
MESA is an academic preparation program that serves 20,250 California pre-college, community college and university students who are educationally disadvantaged. Seventy percent of schools served by MESA are among the lowest-performing in the state. Almost two-thirds of MESA high school graduates go on to college as math, engineering or science majors. In 2001, 14,000 California jobs requiring science or engineering degrees went unfilled, making award-winning programs such as MESA an imperative. MESA is administered by the University of California.
For more information about MESA please visit https://live-mesaucop.pantheonsite.io.