Ryan Smith, a science teacher at Polo Park Middle School in Wellington, is this year’s recipient of the Palm Beach County Science Educators Association (PBCSEA) Teacher of the Year Award.
Each year, the PBCSEA recognizes excellent science teachers in elementary and secondary science with awards in the following categories: Award of Promise (teachers with one to three years of teaching experience); Outstanding Teacher (teachers with more than four years of teaching experience); and Hall of Fame (teachers with 30-plus years of teaching experience).
Smith works with his students using hands-on projects that draw a direct connection between science concepts and the real world. Last year, he applied for and received two grants, one for a garden and the other for a 3D printer. His students successfully completed projects that included planting and maintaining a vegetable garden, learning to write computer code, and using a 3D printer to design and produce models of sustainable homes.
ABOVE: Ryan Smith
