AIM
(ASPIRE Information Medium)

News
We would love to announce your news.  Please contact the ASPIRE office (256-824-6093)
or by email to tell us your news!


Kelley Butler Receives 
National Certification
     Congratulations to Kelley Butler, Loveless Academic Magnet Program, Montgomery.  Kelley recently achieved the status of National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescence and Young Adult Math. There are currently 6 NBCT in Montgomery and 148 statewide. Alabama now ranks in the top 10 states with the certification.
There are nearly 10,000 teachers nationwide who hold the certification.
     According to Kelley, "The process of becomming board certified was the most challenging and rewarding professional development experience I've ever had. I feel lucky to have passed the first time! I spent somewhere around 130 hours working on it... and many, many more worrying about it! 
     For more information about how to become a National Board Certified Teacher look at www.nbpts.org
ASPIRE Statewide 
Computational Science EXPO
     The Twelfth annual Statewide ASPIRE EXPO will be held at UMS-Wright Preparatory School in Mobile, on May 5, 2001.  The EXPO will be hosted by the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (Albert Lilly, teacher), Andalusia High School (Donna Cauley, teacher), UMS-Wright Preparatory School (Tim Burgess and Sam Comly, teachers) and UAH. We are expecting the largest turnout of projects ever!
     See the EXPO site at http://aspire.cs.uah.edu/aspire/expo/
expo2001/expo01.html for more information about the 2001 EXPO.
 Dr. Davis Retires and 
Becomes a Grandfather
     Dr. Carl Davis, the ASPIRE Project Director has retired from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  We appreciate the guidance he has given the university for the past 18 years.  Even though Dr. Davis retired from the university, he will remain as the ASPIRE Project Director.  We are so pleased that he will be able to continue in that capacity.  Dr. Davis' retirement was effective in November 2000.
     More recently, in fact January 22, 2001, Benjamin McGuire Davis, Dr. Davis and Joallen's first grandson, was born to their son and daughter-in-law, Allen and Annette.  Congratulations to the Davis Family!  Allen sent pictures in email, isn't technology fun.
Spring Follow-Up 
Workshop
     The ASPIRE Spring Follow-Up Workshop will be held on March 5, 2001, 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM.  The morning session of the workshop will be held at five Intercampus Interactive Telecommunications System (IITS) Centers.  The afternoon session will be held at the RTC Schools.  For more information about the spring workshop, including an agenda and directions to the IITS Center closest to you, go to the Spring Workshop site.  You should receive a packet this week with instructions and directions to the IITS sites.  If you do not receive yours, please contact us at the ASPIRE office by email or phone (256-824-5176).
Regional EXPO
     That's right, it almost EXPO time again!  Students all over the state are getting ready for the statewide EXPO, which will be held at UMS-Wright Preparatory School in Mobile, on 
May 5, 2001.
     In preparation for the statewide EXPO each RTC will host a Regional EXPO for all the students in the ASPIRE program.  The Regional EXPO is a great opportunity for your students to practice presenting their projects without the added pressure of judges listening.  See a detailed description of the dates, times, and locations for the Regional EXPOs.  You should also receive a packet with all the required information this week.
ASPIRE Teachers Selected
to Attend SC2000
     Three teams of ASPIRE teachers were selected to attend the SC 2000 conference that was held during November 2000.  The three Alabama teacher teams were: Aleta Garrison and Phillip Holley, Shades Valley High School, Birmingham; Victor Nichols and Jeff Johnson, Hoover High School, Hoover; Ruth Borden, Alabama School of Fine Arts, Birmingham;  Donna Ware, Oneonta High School, Oneonta; John Mayer and Tommy Smith, UAB, Birmingham; and from Sparkman High School, Toney Margaret Roberts, Teresa Poole, David Tonn, and Deanna Roberts.  Congratulations to these teachers!
     See the SC2000 Education Program website for more information about the SC2000 program. 
     The same opportunity will be given to teachers to attend the SC2001 conference which will be held in Denver, November 10-15, 2001.  The information and application is online at http://www.sc2001.org Just click the Education link in the left pane

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