Ms. Turtle Haste (TAS 2007)received the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program Excellence in Science Education Award in July 2015. She was presented with the award by the alumni coordinator for the Teacher at Sea Program, Jennifer Annetta, on Friday, November 6, 2015 at Desert Ridge Middle School in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Teachers selected for this distinguished award demonstrate their commitment and dedication to science education by:

Educating students and the public by writing engaging and scientifically accurate blog posts while at sea.

Creating quality products that are tested in the classroom: lesson plans and units based on NOAA scientific research and NOAA careers.

Engaging schools and communities about the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program, NOAA policies, scientific research, careers and personal experience as a NOAA Teacher at Sea.

Collaborating with NOAA scientists and crew to enhance marine science curricula through NOAA scientists visits to the classroom, videoconferences, and field trips to NOAA ships and facilities. 

Representing NOAA Teacher at Sea and NOAA Education at regional and national education and science conferences.

“My NOAA Teacher at Sea experience is immensely important to me. Recently, I reflected on how this one single experience completely transformed my teaching. Opportunities such as Teacher at Sea engage teachers in the work of science, as well as validate our practice. My desire to learn has really helped with my understanding and ability to facilitate student mastery. I believe that educators are facilitators of knowledge and experience. Our purpose is to help students formulate skills through experiences to become contributing members of our global society. Involving students in their own learning is a key component of creating a situation where students are active in their learning process so that they understand and value what they are learning.” -Ms. Turtle Haste