Educators at Houston Independent School District’s Crawford Elementary School recently were surprised with Devon's $25,000 Science Giants award. The award annually recognizes one school for helping students excel in science and preparing them for college and future careers.
Crawford Elementary was chosen over more than 150 Houston-area schools that applied for the award. The school was selected for its outstanding academic progress in science and innovative approach to fostering student interest in the important subject. Over the past five years, student scores on the science portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) improved from 23 percent of students passing in 2005 to 100 percent of students passing in 2008. The number of students who scored at the highest levels on the exam improved even more dramatically from 9 percent in 2005 to 73 percent in 2008.
“Many schools in the Houston area are using creative and engaging lessons to help prepare children for college and the workforce, especially for jobs important to Houston such as those in the natural gas and oil industry,” said Bill Van Wie, Devon senior vice president, exploration. “We’re proud to name Crawford Elementary a Science Giant and recognize the hard work of its teachers, students and parents.”
Most Crawford students attend a lab class daily and use technology to learn about science. Students also give up time after school and on Saturdays to receive tutoring, as well as keep notebooks that help them articulate and think critically about science lessons learned.
Crawford Elementary educators noted in their application for the award that if named the winner, they plan to convert an existing classroom into an additional science lab, offer extended tutoring and provide scholarships for summer science camps to children who cannot afford to attend.
The winning application is available for viewing. The Houston Independent School District will be notified next spring for more information on how to apply for the 2010 Science Giants award.