Lindero Canyon Science Teacher Wins Amgen Award

From the Las Virgenes Unified School District:

Las Virgenes Unified School District is proud to announce that Robin Paul, veteran science teacher at Lindero Canyon Middle School, has been selected as one of the 2014 Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence recipients.

Additionally, Ms. Paul has been named a 2014 Ventura County Office of Education Impact II winner for a team award (with Beth McGrath) as well as for an individual award. Robin Paul also received the VCOE’s coveted Stan Mantooth Superintendent’s Award. 

The Amgen AASTE program recognizes exceptional K-12 science teachers who have engaged students through creative classroom lessons and who have been successful in motivating students to deepen their interest and understanding of the sciences. Amgen AASTE winners receive an unrestricted cash award of $5,000 and the recipient’s school receives a restricted grant of $5,000 to be utilized for the expansion or enhancement of a school science program, for science resources, or for the professional development of the school’s science teachers.

The VCOE Impact II award identifies outstanding teachers in all subject areas who have developed innovative, ready-to-share classroom curriculum. The VCOE Impact II program is part of a national curriculum-sharing and recognition program for teachers in K-12 and Impact II winners receive grants of up to $500 for individual proposals and up to $750 for collaborative efforts.

Ms. Paul has been a teacher with Las Virgenes Unified School District for sixteen years and has been the head of Lindero’s Science Department for more than 10 years.

She has earned a reputation as a dedicated, passionate and captivating teacher who has enthusiastically shared her knowledge and love of science with generations of students.

Robin Paul has created countless exciting, hands-on science activities that simultaneously teach and engage students. Ms. Paul created such kid-friendly projects as “Intergalactic Mail: a Journey through Our Solar System,” “Physics Phunnies” and “Mousetraps in Motion,” all of which teach core lessons in areas such as astronomy, physics, momentum, force and motion. 

“My goal as an educator is to provide students with opportunities to think, create, and discover as they acquire new knowledge and skills,” Ms. Paul said.

Principal of Lindero Canyon Middle School, Abbe Irshay remarked: "Robin Paul is an extraordinary science teacher who develops lessons that are creative and fun, inspiring students' love of science. It is through these wonderful lessons that students learn important aspects of science, such as physics, chemistry and earth science."

Las Virgenes’ Superintendent of Schools Daniel Stepenosky exclaimed: “Robin Paul is an inspiring teacher who shares her creative ideas and depth of knowledge with her students and colleagues. We are honored to have her on the LVUSD team.”