As the 2008 Florida Department of Education/Macy’s Teacher of the Year, Rick Ellenburg spent last year speaking, visiting classrooms and presenting workshops across Florida and the nation. Rick has now returned to Camelot Elementary in Orlando as the school science lab teacher. With a career spanning 30 years in Orange County schools, Rick has taught in kindergarten through sixth grade in numerous elementary schools across Central Florida. He has also taught graduate classes at UCF, written for national magazines and he is a nationally recognized elementary science consultant and workshop presenter.

After thirty years of teaching, Rick’s educational philosophy continues to revolve around a simple formula: make learning exciting, meaningful and child centered. He believes that his love of science and the passion for learning that he shares with children reflects from his own childhood. Growing up in Orlando with his brothers he remembers collections of insects; lessons learned about fulcrums while sharing a see saw; watching every space launch from the Mercury program to the present; and becoming absorbed in such biographies as “Young Tom Edison, Boy Inventor”.

Rick is the only two time Orange County District Teacher of the Year; he is a UCF Alumni of the Decade and Professional Achievement recipient; he has been honored as the Orange County Public Schools Foundation/Walt Disney World Innovator of the Year; and considers his greatest accomplishments to include students who have become teachers, environmentalists, doctors, engineers and caring citizens of our planet.
Learn more about Richard on his blog: http://2008fltoy.blogspot.com/

Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski, Renowned Science Education Consultant, "Get Close Up To Nature To Observe The Interconnectedness Of All Things"

During this “hands-on-minds-on” inquiry-based workshop participants will use eye loupes, magnifying lenses, microscopes, and rulers to explore a wide-array of objects from nature that exhibit patterns including: rocks, crystals, sediments, flowers, leaves, seeds, tree rings, fish scales, sea shells, snake skin, bird feathers, compound eyes of insects, wasp nests, pill bugs, and common garden snails. Participants will gain insight into the infinite variety of patterns that are found in nature, and also patterns that are created by simple physical laws. These patterns are repeated in nature and are seen across the science disciplines.

This workshop will integrate science, technology, math, history, literature, language arts, and health.

Learn more abou Diana by visiting her webpage: http://drdianakeynotespeaker.com/

Carol D. Conner, PE, AIC , Executive VP and Corporate Director, MSCW, Inc.

Green Solutions

Carol Conner is an Executive Vice President and Corporate Director of MSCW. Carol has been involved in developing green solutions in Central Florida throughout her 27 years of civil engineering experience in the area, and she currently serves as the Principal in Charge of the firm's Environmental team and the Green Building Task Force. She has also successfully tackled some of the area's most complex stormwater and environmental permitting challenges. Her wide range of technical expertise and experience, combined with her knowledge of, and relationship with, the various regulatory agencies, make her uniquely qualified to offer comprehensive, creative, and cost-effective solutions and design approaches to a wide variety of projects.

Read more about Carol at http://www.mscwinc.com/private/bio-cdc.asp .

High School Science and Math Education Panel -Ask our Central Florida experts all your questions about how to prepare your daughter for high school and keep her interested in math and science.

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